Someone Like You
by Trapped in a MatchBox
Summary: AU. Detective Kate Beckett is separated and raises her son alone. She meets Richard Castle by accident, literally, on the tenth anniversary of her mother's death, turning her life upside down.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: Alright, this is something completely different from what I usually write, but this idea has been nagging me for months so I thought I should finally do something about it. It's my first time writing AU in the Castle fandom, so I am slightly nervous about it. I really hope you guys like it because I'm excited about this new story as it will most likely be my last one before the season premiere in September.

Disclaimer: Castle is still not mine. Sigh.

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><p><strong>Someone Like You<strong>

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><p><strong>Chapter 1<strong>

Ten years.

Time had gone by so fast and at the same time so agonizingly slow. Ten years ago today she had gotten home with her dad to find the police on her doorstep. Ten years since her world had ended. Since she had heard her mother's voice, hugged her for the last time.

She was terrified of one day forgetting what her mom sounded like, smelled like. She was terrified that one day she would wake up and not remember how it felt to be in her mother's arms. Even now that she was a mother herself, she couldn't bear the thought that her mom was truly gone.

Now as she watched her little boy sleep, she wondered what her mother would think of him. What would she think of her getting pregnant so young, fresh out of the Academy? What would she think of the fact that she was now a homicide detective?

It seemed so unfair. No, scratch that. It _was_ so unfair. Her mother had had a brilliant life ahead of her. Now she was motherless, her father still battled alcoholism and she had an 8-year-old boy to raise all by herself.

Life was not fair.

But that's just it. Life wasn't fair to anyone.

"Ty, sweetie." She sat down and touched her son's back gently. The boy didn't even stir. "Tyler, it's time to wake up. You have school today." She leaned down and kissed his brown hair.

"Five more minutes." She heard him mumble, face half buried in his pillow. Sometimes she worried he might suffocate sleeping like that and she still checked on him a couple of times at night to make sure he was okay.

"Alright, I'm going to go take a shower. You better be up by the time I come back here, squirt." She stood up and pulled his covers with her.

"Mom!" he whined and curled his body into fetal position, trying to retain warmth. "It's cold."

"One more reason for you to get up and get dressed for school." She winked at him and leaned down one more time to give a loud peck on his cheek. "Morning, kid." She smiled and he smiled at her sleepily. She brushed his hair away from his eyes. _Her eyes_. He was the spitting image of her.

"Morning, mom." He stretched and wrapped his arms around her neck. "You really need to work on this wake up call thing." He whispered in her ear and she laughed, tickling his sides.

"You have five seconds to be inside that bathroom, kid. One…" she started counting and he quickly let go of her and was out of bed and in the bathroom just when she hit number five, his laughter gracing her ears.

His delight was heavenly for her today. She was going to have to hold on to that sound tightly if she wanted to make it through the day.

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><p>The three feet of snow that had fallen overnight had covered Manhattan in a white blanket. It was all around her, that seemingly endless sea of white with frigid temperatures and biting winds. She drove Tyler to school, navigating carefully through the slippery streets of New York. That particular task took her the better part of an hour and by the time she arrived at the 12th Precinct, it was already past 9.<p>

She tried her best to focus on the case they were working on, which still had no solid leads after three days. She knew her partners, Detectives Ryan and Esposito, were trying their best to keep her occupied as they knew just how much today affected her. They bounced ideas off each other during the entire morning and into the early afternoon, but they still didn't get anywhere.

It was nearing 2pm – and she had finally made her way across the street to buy something to eat – when her phone rang.

"Beckett." She said distractedly into her phone, handing the sweet, pimply kid that worked at Remy's the cash for her burger.

"Mrs. Beckett? This is Angela Conway, I am the nurse at your son's school."

As soon as she heard those words, it felt like her blood had just frozen in her veins. No. Not today. Please, God, not her son, not today.

"What happened?" she could hear the panic in her voice. The cool, calm and collected Detective Beckett was gone and Kate Beckett, the mother, had taken over.

"No need to be alarmed, Mrs. Beckett. Tyler fell during baseball practice and hurt his arm. We want your permission to take him to the hospital to check his injury as I suspect it may be broken." The nurse explained calmly, but all she could think about was that her child was in pain and alone and she wasn't there to protect him.

"Where are you taking him? I'll meet you there right now." Kate ran a hand through her hair nervously and picked up the package with her burger the kid offered her.

"We're going to NYU Medical Center."

"Alright, I'll be there in ten minutes. Tell him I'll be right there." She said and got in her car.

She needed to see her son. Now.

Calling Esposito to let him know what happened, she drove as fast as she could, but the snow and traffic made her life more difficult. She was close to abandoning her car altogether and walking the remaining block that separated her from her son, when traffic finally cleared and she managed to park almost in front of the hospital.

Locking her car, she ran up the steps to the emergency entrance and pushed through the doors. She looked around for a moment to locate someone she could talk to and made her way to the nurse's station.

"Excuse me? I'm looking for my son. His name is Tyler Beckett. Someone from his school was supposed to bring him in." she asked a young nurse, who was checking a chart.

"Oh, hi, yes. He just got here. The doctor is seeing him now. I'll take you there, Mrs. Beckett."

"Thank you. How bad is it, do you know?" she asked anxiously, following the nurse down the hallway and into the pediatric emergency ward.

"Looks like a broken arm, I'm afraid. But he should be just fine, no need to worry." She smiled at Kate comfortingly and pushed open a curtain. "Here he is."

"Mom!"

He looked so small in that bed, his arm cradled against his chest. Tyler was a tall kid, but right then he had never looked more fragile to her. She blinked back tears of relief that burned behind her eyes.

"Hi, honey. What happened to you?" she asked him gently, placing a kiss on his forehead.

"I was running and didn't see the plate. Fell on my arm. It hurts a lot, mom." His voice broke in the end and she watched as he bit down on his lip, trying not to cry.

"Oh, Ty, it's okay to cry, baby. You're going to be just fine."

"Your mom is right, you know."

She turned around and realized the doctor was in there with them. She seemed to be well into her fifties and reminded Kate terribly of her mother.

"Sorry, I didn't see you there. I'm Kate Beckett." She stretched out her hand and the doctor shook it.

"I'm Dr. Sanders. I think Tyler may have broken his arm, but we have to get an x-ray to be certain. He's been a very brave boy, right, Tyler?" she smiled kindly at him, but he just hid his face in his mom's arm. "We'll give you something to help with the pain real soon, buddy."

"Can I go with him?" Kate asked and the doctor nodded.

"You have to wait outside, though. A nurse will be in soon to take you guys to Radiology." Dr. Sanders explained. "I'll be back to see you soon, Tyler." She winked at him and closed the curtain a bit, moving to the next bed. "Alexis, how are you doing today, darling? We've missed you around here." Kate heard her ask the other child, followed by a giggle.

Turning back to her son, she tuned out the conversation going on around them and sighed.

"Hanging in there, kiddo?" she asked, brushing his hair away from his eyes again. He needed a haircut badly.

"It hurts, momma." He told her in a small voice, a tear finally slipping free from the corner of his eye.

"Oh, sweetie. You'll be okay real soon, I promise. I know it hurts, but you heard the doctor. They just need to take a picture of your arm to see what really happened and then I bet you'll get a cool cast." She smiled down at him and kissed the top of his head.

"Really?" he asked, looking up at her, eyes wide in a mix of fear and excitement.

"Yup. And you can get all your friends to sign it too."

"That's kind of cool." He muttered to himself and Kate smiled at his childish wonder.

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><p>Soon a nurse came by to take them to Radiology. The whole process was fast, but not pain free for Tyler, unfortunately. When they returned to the Pediatric emergency ward, the nurse gave him something for the pain, which put him right to sleep. Kate was glad; she couldn't bear to see her kid in pain.<p>

She pulled a stool and sat next to his bed with a sigh, waiting for the doctor.

"That's the worst part of being a parent, isn't it?" A voice to her right startled her out of her thoughts.

She turned around and her eyes widened.

Richard Castle was sitting right in front of her. Richard Castle, her favorite author, was less than ten feet away. The guy who had gotten her through the darkest times with his words after her mother's death; who had created worlds she could escape into in order to forget her own tragedy; whose words had encouraged her to become a homicide detective.

_Richard-freaking-Castle._

Holy shit.

She felt her jaw dropping slightly and it took her a moment to pull herself together.

"Yeah." She said quietly. "I can't stand to see him in pain." She told him and was proud of herself for managing to say a full, coherent sentence to him.

"What happened?" he asked quietly, so not to wake the sleeping boy. His daughter was curled up facing the other side, reading a book.

"Baseball practice. He said he tripped on the plate and fell on his arm. The radiology guy said it was a mild fracture." She explained and he nodded with a grimace.

"Fractures suck. I remember breaking my arm when I was ten. Not a fun experience." He shook his head sympathetically.

"Yeah. He's excited about getting a cast, though. So I guess there is a silver lining for everything, right?"

She smiled slightly and he chuckled. She felt like she had stepped into another universe.

She was talking to Richard Castle. Holy Mother of God.

"I'm sorry, I never introduced myself." He looked at her sheepishly. "I'm Rick Castle." He reached out his hand and she took it, the warmth of his skin comforting her.

"I know." She said and fought a losing battle against the blush that was creeping up her neck. "I really admire your work, Mr. Castle." She said quietly, feeling almost like a school girl with a crush on the most popular guy.

"Thank you, Mrs…" he squeezed her hand gently and she realized she was still holding it. Pulling her hand away from him almost as if she had been burned, she self-consciously pushed a strand of her hair behind her ear and cleared her throat, blushing furiously.

"Beckett. Kate Beckett." She said nervously and watched as he tried to fight a smile.

"Are you a secret agent like James Bond?" he asked with a mischievous glint in his eyes and she chuckled, feeling more at ease.

"No, but I am detective with the NYPD." She confessed.

"Really? That is so cool." He told her excitedly. "It is really nice to meet you, Detective Beckett." He smiled at her warmly and turned back to his daughter. "Did you hear that, pumpkin? She's a real NYPD detective. How cool is that?"

The red-haired girl turned around to look at them and Kate immediately noticed she had her father's eyes, although a lighter shade of blue.

"Like in your books, daddy?" she asked closing the book she had been reading.

"Exactly." He told her enthusiastically.

"Do you catch bad guys?" the little girl asked her. She was probably Tyler's age.

"I try to, yeah." Kate replied, amused by their excitement.

"This is Alexis, by the way." He introduced his daughter, tugging on her pigtails affectionately. "This is Detective Kate Beckett, pumpkin."

"Nice to meet you, Alexis." Kate smiled at the girl and was rewarded with a partially toothless grin.

"Nice to meet you too, Detective."

"Please, you guys can call me Kate. I'm not on duty right now." She dismissed their formalities and felt the butterflies in her stomach go crazy when he smiled at her. He looked even better in person, she thought to herself.

"Mom?" Tyler's sleepy voice made her turn around to her son.

"Hey, Ty. How are you feeling?" she asked him soothingly and he yawned.

"Sleepy. Can we go home?" he blinked at her groggily and she shook her head.

"Not yet, honey. The doctor needs to see you first, remember?" she smiled gently at him and he nodded.

"I hear you're getting a cool cast there, little guy." She heard Rick comment behind her and Tyler shifted to look at him.

"That's what mom said." He said shyly. "I broke my arm." He offered and Rick nodded.

"Your mom told me. You were playing baseball?" he asked and Tyler told him what happened.

"It hurt really bad when I fell, but now it doesn't so much anymore." He explained and Kate watched her son proudly. He was talking to her favorite author. God, she was such a fangirl inside.

"I'm getting my cast off today." Alexis chipped in and Tyler realized there was another kid in the room.

"What happened?" he asked curiously and Alexis sighed.

"It's a long story. I'm Alexis, by the way. And this is my dad, Rick Castle." She pushed her bangs away from her eyes. "I fell off my horse. Broke my leg. Needed surgery. It was messy."

As Alexis explained the abridged version of what happened, Kate saw Rick's eyes darken as he seemed lost in memories. Involuntarily, she reached out and touched his knee, only to retreat hastily when she realized what she had just done.

"You okay?" she mouthed to him and he nodded with a small smile.

"Just remembering. It wasn't a fun day." He told her quietly with a sad smile.

Just as she was about to respond, Dr. Sanders walked back into the room with a nurse, holding several charts.

"Alright, Ms. Alexis Castle. Time to get that cast off." She told the girl, who was practically bouncing on the bed with excitement.

"Finally!" she exclaimed with a relieved sigh as the nurse began to cut the cast.

"And you, Mr. Tyler, you're getting a brand new cast on that arm."

"Is it going to hurt?" Her little boy asked and Kate could tell he was afraid of being in pain again.

"Nurse Jacobs here will be very gentle with you, buddy." Dr. Sanders told him and he nodded warily. Kate took his uninjured hand and brought it to her lips.

"I'll be right here with you the whole time, sweetie." She said, trying to comfort him. "You can squeeze my hand as hard as you want."

He nodded and she kissed his hand again. Turning around, she met Rick's gaze. He smiled at her encouragingly. It really took a parent to understand the turmoil going on inside of her as she watched her child being scared. She still couldn't believe that she was being comforted by Richard Castle, today of all days.

With a sigh, she wondered what her mom would say about this. Alexis' voice broke her out of her reverie and she turned around again to see the little girl's smiling face as the nurse threw her cast in the trash.

It was Tyler's turn now and Kate felt him squeeze her hand in apprehension.

"I promise I'll be as gentle as I can, okay, Tyler?" the nurse told him and he nodded before closing his eyes and squeezing his mom's hand again.

When he realized it wasn't all that painful, Tyler started to relax. The nurse joked around with him and Alexis kept talking to him, which proved to be a great distraction. She met Rick's eyes again and smiled gratefully. He nodded with a smile and shrugged slightly as Alexis babbled away. The red head really was adorable and incredibly outgoing.

"All done, Tyler." The nurse said cheerfully and helped him put the sling over his head. Once he had his arm supported, he let out a sigh. "How's that? Anything bothering you?"

"No, not really." He shook his head. "It doesn't hurt so much anymore."

"Good. Dr. Sanders will be in to release him soon." She told them and waved goodbye, leaving the room.

"See, that wasn't so bad, was it?" Kate asked her son and he shook his head again.

"Are you going to let people sign it?" Rick asked behind her.

"I guess." He shrugged.

"Hey, Tyler?" Alexis called him and he turned to face her. "Maybe we could do something together? I know all sorts of games we can play since I had a cast for eight weeks." She offered and Tyler cheered up immediately.

"That'd be really cool, Alexis." He smiled happily at her and Kate shared a look with Rick, eyebrows raised. He nodded.

"We'll arrange something, guys." Rick told the kids and offered Kate a smile.

"It's going to be really fun, Ty. You'll see. Daddy knows the best games."

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><p>Both Alexis and Tyler were discharged at the same time, so they all walked to the entrance together. The kids walked a few paces ahead, heads bent together conspiratorially. They had become fast friends, despite the odd circumstances. Kate shook her head, still trying to wrap her mind around this day. It felt surreal that Richard Castle – Rick, as he had insisted she called him – was walking right next to her, their kids most likely planning some kind of chaos together.<p>

"So…" Rick touched her elbow, making her turn to look at him when they reached the sidewalk. "How are we going to do this?"

"Do you have anything in mind?" she asked, feeling a little shy all of a sudden.

"How about you give me a call this weekend and we'll work something out?" He suggested and Kate nodded, handing him her phone so he could save his number.

"I'd love to talk to you about your work, if that's alright with you." He said and she thought she could sense a bit of shyness in his tone. "You know, for research. Maybe we can have a cup of coffee while those two hang out? What do you think? Or whenever you're free. I know your job is demanding and you probably don't have a lot of free time and…" he was rambling and she bit her lip to keep from smiling.

"Sure, Rick, I'd love to." She told him and he grinned happily.

"That's great." His smile was contagious. "Can I have your number so we can arrange something?"

She nodded, feeling slightly giddy as he handed her his phone. She quickly programmed her numbed into his contacts list and handed it back to him. He put it back in his pocket and surprised her by leaning in and pecking her quickly on the cheek.

"It was really nice to meet you, Kate." He said warmly and she felt herself blushing slightly.

"Likewise." She grinned and turned to her son. "Come on, Ty. Say goodbye to Alexis and Rick so we can get you home."

"Bye, guys." He waved at them as Alexis did the same.

"I'll see you soon, buddy." Rick ruffled his hair and hailed a cab.

Kate watched as they got into the vehicle and drove away, Alexis waving back at them.

Surreal. That's what this whole day was.

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><p>AN: Thoughts?


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: You guys are awesome. That is all. Thank you so much.**

**Disclaimer: Castle is not mine.**

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><p><strong>Someone Like You<strong>

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><p><strong>Chapter 2<strong>

"Mom?"

Kate felt her son's hands gently shaking her shoulders. Opening one eye, she saw his brown/green eyes looking back at her expectantly. She blinked sleepily, realizing she had crashed on her couch after getting home a couple of hours ago. She had had every intention of relaxing for a few minutes, stretching her body and catching up on her shows, but it looked like she had passed out before even turning the TV on.

It had been a really long day and she was exhausted and her body ached all over.

"Mom, you okay?" he asked, kneeling down in front of the couch, his casted arm supported by the sling around his neck. "You're hurt." His voice sounded sad and concerned as he eyed the bandage in her arm.

"It's nothing, baby. Just a scratch. No need to worry, alright?" she reached out with her uninjured arm and touched his cheek.

He nodded, but the concern didn't leave his eyes. She knew he worried about her and as exciting as it was for him to tell his friends that his mom was a detective, he had also seen the dark side of her profession a few times in his young age. She had been shot in the shoulder once, grazed a few times and gone home with a few bruises and scratches every now and again.

Today she had very nearly been stabbed, had it not been for Ryan's quick thinking of tackling their suspect to the ground. She had gotten off with just a deep gash on her forearm that had required a few stitches and would most likely leave yet another scar on her body. Now that the adrenaline had subsided, she felt like someone had beaten the crap out of her as her entire body hurt.

Her knee was shooting jabs of pain every time she tried to move it and she knew she probably had a bruise the size of China in a nice shade of purple there. Sometimes she really regretted chasing down suspects in heels.

"Your phone was ringing." Tyler finally told her after getting lost in his own thoughts. "It was Alexis' dad."

"Did you answer it?" she asked him, sitting up abruptly.

It had been two days since she had met Richard Castle in the hospital with Tyler and part of her had been wondering when he was going to call. If he was going to call at all. She wouldn't have blamed him for not calling. After all, she was sure he had better things to do than talking to her about her job.

"No, you told me not to, remember?" he said with a duh tone to his voice and rolled his eyes.

Kate glared at him and hit him lightly upside his head.

"Watch it, kid." She scolded, but ended up smiling and ruffling his hair. "How long ago did he call?"

"Just now." He sat next to her and picked up the remote to turn the TV on, relaxing into her side. "Does that mean I get to see Alexis soon?" he looked up at her with hopeful eyes.

"We'll see, baby. Let me call him back first, alright?" she kissed the top of his head and stood up slowly, mindful of her sore body. She really hoped that fall hadn't done anything serious to her knee. "You hungry, Ty?"

"Yeah, can we have Chinese?" he asked with puppy dog eyes and she rolled her eyes at his antics. He shared her love of Chinese food ever since he was old enough to know what it was.

"I'll think about it."

She winked at him and went to the kitchen to grab her phone where she had dropped her things on the kitchen table as soon as she had gotten home. Quickly locating her phone in her jacket pocket, she noticed there were two missed calls, both from Rick.

Well, that was interesting. He certainly wanted to talk to her.

With a finger hovering over the call back button, she suddenly felt nervous. What was she going to say to him? He was a celebrity and she was just a cop. What would they even talk about? She certainly would not gush to him about how much she loved his books and how his words had helped save her life when it was spiraling out of control. That was a completely forbidden topic.

But he wanted to talk to her, right? After all, he had called two times already. That meant something, even if it was just that he wanted to schedule their kids' play date. Steeling her nerves and biting on her bottom lip, she pressed the green button and waited.

He answered after the fourth ring.

"Hello?"

He sounded a little out of breath and she immediately regretted calling him. What if she had just interrupted something? God, what if she had interrupted a date?

"Rick, hi." She managed to say after a moment. "This is Kate Beckett, Tyler's mom?" she said, but it ended up sounding horribly like a question.

"Oh, hi, Kate. Thanks for calling me back. I was starting to think you were ignoring my calls, you know." He joked and she chuckled.

Amazing how he made her feel more comfortable with just a few words.

"Don't worry, I wouldn't do that. I just kind of crashed on the couch when I got home. Didn't even hear the phone ringing." She explained and opened her fridge to grab a bottle of water.

"Long day?" he asked and she could feel the sympathy in his voice.

"Yeah, I guess you could say that." She sighed and they were quiet for a beat. "So what's up?"

"Right, um." He hesitated and she waited anxiously for what he had to say. "Well, I was going to ask if you guys wanted to grab a pizza or something. That way we could talk and the kids could play. Alexis has been nagging me ever since we left the hospital that she wants to see Tyler." He said it a little fast as if he was nervous and took a deep breath in the end.

"Oh, we…" she started, but he interrupted her.

"But you said you're tired, so there goes that plan." He said dejectedly.

"No, listen. Why don't you guys come over?" she offered, butterflies trying to stage a prison break in her stomach.

"I don't want to impose, Kate. We can do this some other time. It's okay."

"No, really. I could use the distraction. Unless you made other plans, then that's fine." She added quickly.

"Are you sure?" he asked quietly and she reassured him it was fine and gave him her address. "Alright. We'll see you soon. Is pizza okay?"

"Actually, could we have Chinese instead? Tyler has been asking for it and I was going to order some, anyway." She explained, looking for their favorite Chinese restaurant menu.

"Sure. And don't worry. I'll pick something up on my way there. Any preferences?"

"Surprise us. We like everything." She smiled and tried to contain the giddy feeling bubbling up in the pit of her stomach.

"Alright, detective. I'll see you soon." He said warmly.

"See you soon, Rick." She bit her bottom lip again and hung up.

Rick Castle and his daughter were coming over. To her apartment.

Holy shit.

What the hell was she doing, inviting them over? She looked around the apartment and was relieved to see that everything seemed to be in order. But still, he probably lived in a mansion with everything money could buy and she had invited him over to her shoebox two-bedroom apartment.

Idiot.

Well, it was too late now. And Tyler would be happy so she needed to focus on that. He had been miserable these past couple of days, since he couldn't play his video games or do much of anything with his arm in a cast. Alexis would be a great distraction for him and Rick would be a nice distraction for her.

Jesus, he was really coming over.

"Ty?" She made her way to the living room and found him engrossed in a cartoon that was playing on TV. "Tyler?" she tried again and he looked up at her. "Alexis and Rick are coming over, alright?"

"Really?" The smile that blossomed on his lips was contagious, his excitement barely contained. She nodded with a small smile.

"And they're bringing dinner. Chinese."

"Awesome, mom!" he told her excitedly. "Can't wait."

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><p>Almost an hour later, there was a knock on her door. Kate smoothed down her shirt nervously. Fortunately, she had had time to take a shower and change so she looked more presentable. She decided on a casual dark red sweater, jeans and a cute pair of dark gray flats. With a deep breath, she opened the door.<p>

Rick was holding several containers of food that smelled absolutely heavenly while Alexis held another package that looked suspiciously like dessert.

"How many people are you expecting to feed with all that food?" was the first thing out of her mouth and she was rewarded with a laugh.

"We couldn't decide, so we got a little bit of everything." He shrugged and offered her a boyish smile. She shook her head, smiling back.

"Of course. Come on in. Can I take that, Lex?" she asked the little girl, the nickname slipping out without her permission. Alexis smiled that adorable partially toothless grin and handed the package to her. "Tyler is in the living room. Why don't you go say hi?" she suggested nodding in the direction of the TV and the red head dashed away in search of her friend.

She looked up at Rick (she was a few inches shorter than him without her heels, she realized) and found him smiling after his little girl.

"Come on, we can put everything in the kitchen." She touched his arm to get his attention and he nodded, following her.

"You have a really nice place." He commented behind her and she threw back a smile.

"Thanks. We really like it here." She told him and bit her lip. "So how are you doing?"

He put everything on the counter and turned to her and leaning against it. She couldn't help but notice that he looked oddly comfortable and like he fitted in her kitchen.

"I'm good. Glad that Alexis is finally okay." He said with a sigh and she refrained from asking what had really happened for fear that it was something he wouldn't want to talk about. "You?"

"Tired. Not going to lie, it's been a very… difficult day." She sighed and he looked at her with concern.

"Everything okay?" he asked and his tone warmed her heart.

"Yeah, just… the job sometimes sucks, you know?" she leaned against the counter next to him at a respectable distance.

"Anything in particular happened today?" he asked and she felt him nudge her side slightly, comfortingly.

She looked up at him and debated with herself the wisdom of letting him into her world, into her life. After a moment, she let out a breath and pulled up the sleeve of her sweater, revealing the white bandage that covered her forearm. She watched as he sucked in a breath and his fingers reached out tentatively to touch it.

"What happened?" he whispered, their heads close together as he looked down at her arm.

"Suspect chase gone wrong." She said quietly and looked at the living room to see if Tyler was still there and out of ear range. When she saw Rick's eyebrow raised, she elaborated. "I was chasing this guy and when I tried to tackle him, I tripped and fell. Banged my knee pretty hard and it distracted me. I was lucky that Ryan was there to take him down or he would've stabbed me."

"Kate…" he sounded a little shocked, his tone blending in with his concern. She gave him a wry smile.

"Comes with the territory, Rick. Wasn't the first time and it won't be the last." She gave him a reassuring nudge. "I got lucky this time."

"Still…" he touched her uninjured arm and she looked up at him. "You gotta be careful."

"I am. Accidents happen sometimes, though." She shrugged.

"How bad was it?"

"Ten stitches and a bruised knee. I'll be fine, Rick, don't worry." She offered him a small smile and turned around to sort through the take out containers. "Come on, let's eat."

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><p>A couple of hours later, Rick and Kate were sitting at her kitchen table while the kids watched a movie in the living room. They had decided to pop a bottle of wine and were strangely comfortable with each other's company for two people who had just met two days before. The image that Kate had always had of him – a millionaire playboy who wrote amazing books – was slowly fading as the night progressed.<p>

They had this uncanny ability of keeping the conversation flowing between them, which scared and excited her at the same time. Little by little, she stopped being intimidated by the fact that the guy laughing at a story she had just told was a celebrity _and_ her favorite author to boot. He had managed to make her so comfortable that they lost track of time. When she looked at her watch after pouring more wine for both of them, she was surprised to find it was already past 11.

"Wow, we've been here for four hours already?" Rick commented, surprised, when she told him the time.

"Looks like it. I should go check on the kids. I'll be right back." She said and made her way to the living room only to find both kids fast asleep on the couch. Smiling, she went back to the kitchen. "They're both out on the couch." She sat back on the chair and took a sip of her wine. "Guess we lost track of time, huh?"

"That's what happens when we're in good company." He winked at her and she laughed.

"Flattery will get you nowhere, Mr. Castle." She narrowed her eyes at him playfully and he chuckled. "But thanks for the compliment anyway. You're not so bad yourself, you know." She told him with a barely concealed grin.

"Why, thank you, Detective Beckett. You're so kind." He clinked his glass with hers with a grin and she rolled her eyes, amused. "Can I ask you a question?" he asked after a moment.

"You already did." She replied, her eyes sparkling.

"Fine, can I ask a few questions, then?" he corrected, rolling his eyes at her.

"Sure." She rested her chin on her hand, her elbow on the table.

"I don't see a ring on your finger, so I'm assuming you're not married." She nodded and he took a deep breath before continuing. "So if you're not married and I don't see a dude here kicking me out for drinking wine with his girl…" he hesitated for a moment and she waited patiently, already knowing where this was going. "Can I ask where his dad is?" he finished quietly, nodding towards the living room.

"It's… a long story, really." She sighed and looked at him, cheek resting on her hand. "But the cliffs note version was that I was young and going through a really, really tough time. This guy, Tyler's father, he swept me off my feet, promised me the moon, told me he loved me and I believed him." She took a deep, fortifying breath and closed her eyes for a moment. "Maybe it was real at first, I don't know. When he asked me to marry him a few months into the relationship I said yes. We got married and a few months later I found out I was pregnant."

He reached out and touched her hand, trying to comfort and encourage her. She smiled weakly at him.

"A few days after I told him I was having a baby, he told me he was leaving to join the Doctors Without Borders mission in Africa." She continued with a sad smile. "I never saw him again."

"He never even met Tyler?" he asked gently and she shook her head.

"I sent pictures to this address I had until Ty was two years old. But he never replied, never had any interest in meeting his son, so I gave up. It's just me and him now. Always has been. He's my entire world, that little guy."

"I'm sorry." He whispered and gave her hand a squeeze. "I'm sorry he never got to have a dad. I know how much that sucks." He offered a small smile; she smiled back gratefully. "At least he has a beautiful, kickass mom like you." He squeezed her hand again and she chuckled.

"I guess." She said with a shrug.

_He thought she was beautiful._

"We should get going." He said after a couple of minutes in silence, each lost in their own thoughts. He made his way to the living room and picked up Alexis gently, so not to wake her.

"Do you need me to call a cab?" Kate asked, following them to the door.

"No, I got my car here. And yes, detective, I'm okay to drive." He smirked at her and she rolled her eyes, but nodded, opening the door. "Are you working tomorrow?"

"I'm on call. But I only have to go in if a body drops." She explained, leaning against her doorsill.

"Well, I'm taking Alexis to the movies tomorrow. We'd love to have your company again." He smiled a little more timid and she bit her lip.

"We'd love to." She smiled shyly, feeling like a schoolgirl on her first date. This was ridiculous. What the hell were they doing? "Call me and let me know when and where?"

"It's a date, detective." He grinned at her happily and surprised her again by kissing her cheek. "Until tomorrow, Kate." He said and walked towards the elevator.

"Night." Kate murmured and closed the door behind her, leaning against it.

Had he just asked her out on a date with their kids?

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><p><strong>AN: Let me know what you think?**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Thank you so much for the incredible support, guys. Really. You have no idea how important that is for a writer.**

**Disclaimer: Still not mine.**

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><p><strong>Someone Like You<strong>

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><p><strong>Chapter 3<strong>

Well, that had been an interesting experience, Kate thought as they exited the movie theater.

They had met there a few minutes before the movie started and she had barely had time to say hi before Rick was ushering them inside saying he didn't want to miss the previews. After finding good seats, somehow they ended up sitting together with the kids giggling to their right. She noticed that he had already bought popcorn and snacks for them and made a mental note to talk to him about paying for everything. He had already paid for dinner last night; it was only fair that she contributed today, right?

It wasn't like this was a date. They were just taking their kids to the movies together. That's all. No date. Right? Because it couldn't be a date if their kids were there.

Except it felt like one, as much as she wanted to convince herself otherwise.

No, she couldn't even go there. She hadn't been with someone in so long that she was starting to get delusional.

During the movie, they shared the big popcorn while Tyler and Alexis shared a smaller one. She honestly felt like she was back in junior high and this was her first date with her first boyfriend. Whenever their hands brushed against one another or their arms touched, she felt her skin tingling.

It was downright ridiculous.

He wasn't completely innocent either as he did try the overused, cliché move of stretching and then casually leaving his arm around her. Well, he didn't exactly put his arm around her as he left it on the back of her chair, but he would more often than not brush his fingers lightly on her shoulder, sometimes venturing a little further down her arm.

Whatever this was, it was ridiculous and it needed to stop before they both did something stupid. The point here was to get their kids together and here they were flirting like two inexperienced teenagers.

They had decided on getting some dinner while they were out and Rick was leading them to his favorite pizza place in Manhattan. It had grown considerably colder since she had left her apartment and snow was falling lightly around them. Kate pulled on her gloves and called Tyler to put on his gloves and hat. Putting a glove on his injured hand was more of a challenge than she had anticipated and by the time they managed to complete the task, she was feeling horrible for putting her son through something uncomfortable, even if he did tell her that it didn't hurt all that much, just felt funny.

As they exited the theater – the kids walking slightly ahead of them with their heads close together as they discussed the movie – he gently touched the small of her back, guiding her on the sidewalk. She looked at him, eyebrow raised, but he merely shrugged and ignored any more of her looks.

Fine. Two could play this game.

"Any big plans for the rest of the weekend?" she asked as they continued on their way through the slippery sidewalk.

"Not really. It's too cold. I'll try to entertain Alexis at home, probably." He told her, his hand remaining comfortably at the small of her back. "You and Ty?"

"Sleep in, hopefully. If no body drops, that is. Those are always the worst times to get called in. Middle of the winter when it's freezing and all you want to do is curl up at home with a good book, you know?" She said and watched as her breath condensed in front of her. Involuntarily, she stepped closer to him, drawn by his warmth.

Or so she told herself.

"Why did you decide to join the NYPD? I mean, it's not exactly a common line of work for a woman, right? And I'm not trying to sound sexist at all here, I promise." He grinned at her and she gave him a small smile.

This was a subject she was not prepared to discuss with him. At least not yet. It had been ten years since she had lost her mom, but the wound was still too fresh, too raw. She never talked about it with anyone, really, and she barely even knew Rick. Sure, they had clicked like she had never done so with anyone before – not this quickly, anyway – but that didn't mean she was ready to open up to him.

"It's, um… it's kind of a long story and it was..." she sighed heavily, trying to think of a way to evade the question without sounding rude. "It was a really difficult time of my life, when I decided to join the Academy. Just…" she let out a breath and ran a hand through her hair, frustrated.

"Hey, you don't have to tell me, Kate. I was just curious, that's all." He stilled her hand and tucked it in the crook of his arm. "If it's too personal, I completely understand."

She sighed in relief and smiled at him gratefully. He placed a gentle kiss on her hair.

"Thanks. It's just… it's hard to talk about it." She admitted and he smiled at her.

"Don't worry about it. Let's just talk about something else." He suggested and she resisted the urge to stop him right there in the middle of the sidewalk and give him a hug.

* * *

><p>It turned out that his favorite pizza place was this really low key restaurant, owned by a really sweet Italian couple that Rick had known for years. Both he and Alexis were completely at home there and Mr. Giacomo, the owner, had waited their table himself so he could catch up with them. Rick introduced her and Tyler to the couple and Kate was surprised to find out that she was the first girl he had ever taken there, as Mr. Giacomo told her with a knowing glint in his eyes. Of course he only volunteered that information when Rick had excused himself to go the restroom and now Kate wasn't really sure about what to do with it. Alexis even confirmed that this was kind of their place and it was the first time they came here with other people.<p>

It kind of put things in a whole new light, didn't it?

Or she was just overanalyzing everything and this didn't have to necessarily mean anything. God, this whole thing was starting to get exhausting.

Just as he was returning to their table, her phone rang and she groaned inwardly.

"Please tell me you're just calling to say hi, Esposito." She greeted her fellow detective and heard him chuckling.

"Sorry, boss. We've got a fresh one in Central Park. We're five minutes out." He told her the exact location and she wrote it down on a napkin that Tyler had conveniently provided when she looked around the table for something to write on. "See you there?"

"Yeah." She sighed, running a hand through her hair, eyes closed, trying to think. "Just give me half an hour to find someone to stay with Ty?

"Sure thing. I'll see you soon. Tell my boy Ty I said hey." He said and hung up.

She put her phone back in her pocket and looked at Rick apologetically.

"Work?" he asked and she nodded warily.

"I have to find someone to stay with Tyler and I am almost sure Mrs. Johnson is out of town." She told him, but she was mostly talking to herself, going through a mental list of likely babysitters that were potentially free on a Saturday night to watch her kid.

"You know, I can watch him. That way they can hang out a little bit more." He nodded at the children who were currently watching their conversation looking disappointed that their time together was about to be cut short.

"No, I can't ask you to do that, Rick." She shook her head and he touched her hand on the table.

"You're not. I'm offering. It's really no big deal." He said and he sounded so genuine that she felt herself start to give in.

"Are you sure?" She bit her lip, uncertain.

"Positive." He gave her hand a light squeeze. "We'll have fun, won't we, guys?" he turned to Alexis and Tyler, who nodded enthusiastically. "You can just come pick him up whenever you're done."

"If you're sure…" she trailed off and he squeezed her hand again. He was definitely making a habit of it.

"I am, Kate. Go be the super detective I know you are." He grinned at her and she laughed.

"Fine. I'll try to wrap it up quickly, I promise." She said, gathering her things.

"I told you, don't worry about it. Give me a call when you're done?" he asked and she nodded with a smile, standing up.

"Absolutely." She turned to Tyler and leaned down to give him a kiss on the cheek. "You be good to Rick, okay, Ty? Best behavior." She told him and he nodded seriously.

"Scout's honor, mom."

"You're not a scout, Pinocchio." She shook her head with a chuckle and ruffled his hair. "Behave. I'll come by Rick's to pick you up later, alright?" He nodded again and kissed her cheek. "Love you, kid."

"Love you too, mom." She smiled at him and turned to Rick. "Thanks, Rick. You're a life savior."

"Go do your job, detective." He found her hand again and gave it a light, teasing kiss.

She could still feel his touch all the way to the murder scene.

* * *

><p>It was only four hours later that she managed to make it to Rick's loft. It had been a particularly gruesome murder and the victim was practically a kid. Her name was Julie and she was 14. Her killer had raped her and then slit her throat. When Kate arrived at the scene, the snow around her small naked body was covered with deep, striking red.<p>

She hated when the victim was a kid. Hell, she hated all murders, but kids always tug a little deeper. All she wanted to do was get to her son and hug him tight for a long time.

She called Rick when she left the precinct and he gave her his address. It was almost midnight, but she felt like she had worked all night. When she arrived at his place, she was surprised to see that his loft was absolutely nothing like she had thought. Sure it was big, but it didn't scream money at her face like she thought it would. She knocked and he immediately ushered her inside.

"Where's Ty?" she asked when he closed the door behind her.

"He fell asleep a couple of hours ago. I put him in the guest room, come on." He took her hand and led her up the stairs and into the first room on the left. "Right here."

She entered the room and sat down on the bed, watching her little boy breathe for a couple of minutes. She touched his back, gently running her fingers up and down his little body, reassuring herself that he was safe. After a few minutes, she leaned down, kissed the top of his head and stood up.

Surprised to find Rick watching her from the door, she made her way to him and offered him a smile.

"Thanks for watching him." She whispered and he nodded.

"It was my pleasure, Kate." He said and she looked back into the room, her son safely asleep in the huge bed. "Tough case?" He touched her shoulder, catching her attention.

"Yeah." She sighed and leaned against the wall. "A girl. Fourteen years old."

"I'm sorry." His hand slid down to hers and he pulled her away from the wall, leading her back downstairs.

She sat down on the couch while he went to the kitchen to grab a bottle of wine and two glasses. She watched as he made his way back to the living room, setting the bottle on the coffee table and pouring some wine for them.

"Thanks." She smiled weakly at him when he handed her a glass. They were quiet for a moment. "You'd think it gets easier, right? After all these years." She sighed and took a sip of her wine. "Kids are the worst, you know? I mean, how could someone hurt an innocent, pure little person? What kind of monster does that?"

"I don't think there's a logical explanation for that, Kate. However you try to spin it, nothing justifies ending someone's life." He said and she smiled sadly.

"I guess. It's just… when my victim is a kid, it hits too close to home. I look at them and all I see is my son." She bit her lip, willing the tears that were burning behind her eyes to go away. Taking a deep, shuddering breath, she took another sip, giving herself enough time to get her emotions under control.

"Feel like watching a movie? Get your mind off of it for a bit?" he offered when she was quiet for a couple of minutes, lost in her own thoughts.

"I should get going. It's late."

"Kate." He said and she looked at him, his eyes intense on hers. "Let me help. Let me try to distract you for a little bit." She looked away and he touched her arm gently. "Just a movie, that's it. You deserve to relax for a little while. "

"Alright. Nothing intense, though, okay?" She agreed and the happy smile he gave her was adorable.

"You're the boss." He told her happily and made his way to the entertainment center in front of them.

* * *

><p>A few minutes later, they finally settled on a silly comedy, but it was just what Kate needed at that moment. They laughed, making comments about the actors and the cheesy storyline. Over the course of two hours, they finished the wine and Kate found herself leaning against his side, oddly relaxed. She tried to fight it, but sleep won her over and she dozed off on his shoulder.<p>

When she woke up, startled, the credits were just starting to roll up on the screen. She blinked sleepily, trying to remember where she was. Then she realized someone's arm was holding her close. She looked up at him and blushed when she realized she had fallen asleep on him. Literally.

"Sorry about that." She whispered sheepishly and tried to sit up straight, but his arm around her prevented it.

"Don't worry about it. You looked like you needed it." His fingers were lightly running up and down her arm and she felt goose bumps spreading all over her skin.

"Still, I didn't mean to fall asleep on you." She looked up at him and he shook his head, dismissing her apology.

"I've been told I make an excellent pillow." He grinned at her and she laughed, rolling her eyes at him.

"So modest." She commented and he squeezed her arm teasingly. "Okay, fine, you do. You're very comfy, Mr. Castle." She smirked and he laughed.

"See, told ya."

They smiled at each other for a moment, eyes locked on one another. Kate was the first to look away.

"I should really get going now." She said and this time he let her sit up. "What time is it?" She asked with a yawn.

"Almost 2."

"Oh, god, I have to be at the precinct at 8." She groaned and stood up. He followed her and touched her arm again to catch her attention.

"Are you okay to drive?" he asked gently and she nodded.

"Yeah, I think I slept all that wine off." She told him and they made their upstairs so she could get Tyler.

"I can carry him down for you. He's a big boy." Rick offered and she smiled her thanks.

They walked to her car in a comfortable silence. Rick put Tyler in the back seat, the boy barely stirring the entire way to the car. Closing the door, he turned to look at her and found her watching him with a small, pensive smile on her lips.

"What?" he asked quietly and she shook her head, still smiling.

"Nothing. Just… thank you. You've been so great to us since we met. I mean, do you realize that was only three days ago?" she wondered and he chuckled.

"I know. Feels like a lot longer, doesn't it?" He agreed and she nodded. "Well, if anything, I'm really glad that we met, however odd the circumstances were."

"The feeling is mutual." They looked at each other for a moment and it was all he could do not to reach out and pull her in for a hug. "Good night, Rick." She finally said and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek.

"Maybe we can grab something to eat tomorrow if you have some free time?" he suggested and hoped he didn't sound too desperate. He just wanted to see her again.

"Sure. I'll call you and let you know." She told him with a small smile and he took her hand in his, squeezing it lightly. "Tell Alexis I said bye."

"Will do. See you tomorrow, detective." He leaned in and kissed her cheek as it was quickly becoming the norm between them.

"See you tomorrow, Rick." She said and got in the car.

He watched as she drove away, thinking just what had he gotten himself into.

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><p><strong>AN: Thoughts?**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: I feel like a broken record, but you guys never cease to amaze me. Thank you so much for all your support and feedback. This chapter kind of ran away from me and it was turning out to be way too long, so I split it in half. Part 2 will be up tomorrow night, hopefully.**

**Hope you guys like it and enjoy it as much as I enjoyed writing it.**

**Disclaimer: Castle is not mine. I just like to borrow them and play. I promise to return them safely afterwards.**

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><p><strong>Someone Like You<strong>

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 4<strong>

It was only a week later that Kate finally had some free time. The case of the 14-year-old girl turned out to be a lot more complex than she had anticipated and she and her team hit a lot of dead ends before they finally managed to find her killer. Dealing with this case had really taken its toll on her and by Friday morning, she was running on caffeine alone.

Throughout the week, nightmares had plagued her sleep and the dark circles under her eyes were barely concealed by makeup anymore. All she wanted to do was go home, spend some time with her kid and then sleep for a whole twelve hours. At least.

When she walked into the morgue that Friday morning, sipping her third cup of coffee in the last hour, she needed a break from the nightmare this case was and spending half an hour with her friend Lanie was just what she needed at that moment.

"Hey, girl." Lanie looked up at her with a smile. She was sitting on an empty gurney, cross-legged, going over her reports. "What's up?"

Kate sighed and sat across from her friend.

"Just needed a break. Want some?"

She offered the package with a few pastries she had just picked up across the street. Lanie accepted and watched her friend with a pensive look as she munched on the treat. Kate raised an eyebrow.

"You look tired." The medical examiner finally concluded and Kate shrugged.

"I am tired. It's been a long week, tough case…" she sighed again and looked away. Lanie knew how those kinds of murder got to her.

"How's Tyler?" she asked as Kate yawned.

She really needed to get some sleep.

"He's fine. At school." Kate took a sip of her coffee. "I have to go pick him up soon."

Tyler had been asking all week to go play with Alexis again, but she just hadn't had time to do anything about it. Rick had texted her a few times during the past week and she was slightly ashamed to admit that his texts were one of the highlights of her day, even if he was just saying hi or talking about something completely random, as she had quickly realized was the norm with him. The man was probably the most random person she had ever met, but she had so much fun texting back and forth with him about the silliest things. It had served as a great distraction when she had needed to unwind after spending hours trying to solve the young girl's murder.

"Have you been sleeping at all, Kate?" Lanie asked and Kate knew she was concerned.

"I've been trying to. Not very successful so far." She ran a hand through her hair and took another sip of her coffee. "I just want this case to be over."

"I know, honey. Do you have any new leads?"

"Ryan and Esposito went to pick up her cousin. One of her friends mentioned the guy had a creepy obsession with her." She bit her lip. "She was just a kid." She said softly, looking to where she knew the girl's body was stored.

Before Lanie could respond, Kate's phone rang and they both jumped at the sound echoing through the quiet room.

"Beckett." She answered without checking the caller's ID.

"Hi, Kate." She heard his voice and a small smile immediately appeared on her lips.

"Hey." She said softly. "What's up?"

"Nothing, just wanted to say hi." He told her and she chuckled.

"Well, hi." She laughed. "Can I hang up now?" she teased and his laughter graced her ears.

"Don't be mean, detective." He scolded and she almost felt like giggling, which would be an invitation to a very thorough third degree from Lanie, so she refrained from doing so. "I was also wondering if you wanted to do something later tonight. Alexis is dying to play with Tyler again. Been bugging me all week."

"Yeah, Tyler has been doing the same." She said and absentmindedly twirled her hair around her finger.

"And I kind of want to see you too, you know." He said quietly, hesitantly, and she felt warmth spreading through her.

"Kind of?" she teased and bit her lip when he chuckled quietly.

"Fine, Detective Beckett. I do want to see you. There. Happy?" he said in mock exasperation and she laughed.

"Yes, I am. And for the record? I do too." She admitted and could almost hear him smiling.

"So, tonight? You, me and the little wild creatures?" he asked expectantly and she sighed.

"It depends on what happens with this case today."

"Still nothing on the little girl's killer?" he asked quietly.

"We might have a good lead. The boys are bringing a suspect in. Let's hope he's our guy." She told him and wished with all her might that they could close this godforsaken case today.

"I hope so too." He said and they were quiet for a beat. "So… call me later to let me know?"

"Absolutely. And even if I can't make it tonight, maybe tomorrow?" she suggested and wondered to herself just how exactly this had happened – whatever this was between them. She genuinely felt as if they had known each other forever, that's how comfortable she felt with him. How was that even possible when they had only really known each other for a little over a week?

"I have a book signing at Barnes & Noble tomorrow." He sighed, sounding disappointed. "But maybe you and Tyler could stop by?"

"Which Barnes & Noble?"

"5th Avenue."

"Am I getting an autograph if I show up?" she teased and he laughed.

"I'll sign whatever you want if you show up." He told her warmly and she laughed, pleased.

"You shouldn't make those kinds of promises, you know." She said and he huffed. "Anyway, it still depends on how it goes today here. I'll call you later." She bit her lip when she looked up and realized Lanie was watching her with way too much interest.

Damn it.

"Alright, Detective. Good luck with your suspect."

"Thanks." She smiled, saying she would talk to him later and hung up.

She found Lanie looking at her curiously and looked away from her friend's inquisitive gaze. If only the boys could call right that moment so she could escape the inevitable interrogation that was about to happen.

"Who was that?" she asked casually and Kate sighed. Lanie had never been one to beat around the bush about anything.

"Just a friend." She shrugged and Lanie lifted her eyebrows skeptically.

"It didn't sound like just a friend to me." She said knowingly and Kate rolled her eyes. "Come on, dish. Who is he?"

"What makes you say it's a he?" Kate tried stalling.

"Because you were flirting like crazy, maybe?" Lanie replied with a laugh and she blushed. "See, you're blushing. It's definitely a guy. Spill. Who is he and why haven't I heard about him before?"

"He's just a guy I met last week at the hospital when Ty broke his arm." She said when Lanie lifted an eyebrow again.

At Lanie's inquisitive look, she elaborated and told her friend what had happened that day, excluding the fact that she was ridiculously attracted to him and felt like they had known each other for ages.

"Wait, isn't he the author of those books you love so much?" Lanie asked and she nodded. "Wow. Does he know you're a fan?" she smiled teasingly and Kate felt herself blushing again.

"No. He just knows a admire his work, but that's all." She said softly.

"He must really be one hell of a guy, huh?" Lanie said with a smile.

"Why do you say that?" Kate asked confused.

"You should've looked in the mirror when you were talking to him, honey. You looked happy. You didn't even sound tired anymore." She explained gently and Kate shrugged.

"He's a friend." She brushed it off and Lanie shook her head.

"Fine, you keep telling yourself that, Kate." She rolled her eyes. "For what it's worth, I'm happy for you."

Kate looked away and bit her lip, thinking. If she was honest with herself, she was pretty damn happy Rick had appeared in her life as well.

* * *

><p>"Ty, my boy. How are you doing?" Esposito greeted when Kate walked back into the bullpen with her son.<p>

"Hey, Uncle Javi." The boy grinned and dropped his backpack on his mother's chair. Walking over to Esposito's desk, he bumped fists with the detective happily. "Catch any bad guys today?"

"Yes, we did, as a matter of fact." He leaned closer to the boy and whispered loudly. "Your mom over there? She was awesome today, man. But don't tell her I said that."

Tyler looked proudly at his mom and Kate shook her head at her partner with a small smile.

"I'm just going to finish up my report here. Can you keep him entertained for a little while, Esposito?" she asked and he nodded.

"My pleasure. Come on, mini Beckett. Let's find your Uncle Kevin and annoy him." He put an arm around Tyler's shoulders and led him to the break room where Ryan was making himself a cup of coffee.

Kate chuckled quietly and busied herself with the paperwork in front of her. They had booked the girl's cousin just a couple of hours ago after he confessed everything. He said he had been in love with her since they were kids, but she had never reciprocated his feelings. He got angry and raped her. When she wouldn't stop crying afterwards, he slit her throat. He was barely eighteen and had just started college at NYU.

It was just sad seeing two young, promising lives thrown away like that, Kate thought and shook her head. Informing the family had been the worst part as the killer was her first cousin. With a sigh, she tried to concentrate on the report to finish it as quickly as she could.

A couple of hours later, she turned off her computer and stretched her body with a groan. She was so ridiculously exhausted that she couldn't even think straight. Checking her watch, she was surprised to see that it was nearing 6pm and she should get Tyler home soon. He was probably hungry.

Trying to decide whether they should stop somewhere and get something to eat before going home or not, she stood up and started gathering her things. She was putting on her coat when her phone rang. It was Rick.

"I forgot to call you back." She told him as soon as she answered. "I'm sorry."

"Did you catch the killer?" he asked, amused and curious.

"We did, actually. It was the cousin." She picked up her purse and looked around the bullpen, trying to locate her son and her two partners.

"Damn." He breathed and she agreed wholeheartedly.

"I know."

"So does that mean we get to see you guys tonight?" he asked hopefully and she smiled, trying to ignore the butterflies in her stomach.

"I would love to, Rick, but I'm exhausted. If we went over there or if you guys came over, I'd just pass out on you and embarrass myself again." She said, fighting a yawn and failing spectacularly, much for his amusement.

"As much as I would love to have you fall asleep on me again, detective, you should probably get some rest." He told her softly and she bit her lip as that warm feeling in the pit of her stomach spread through her.

"Thanks. I just…"She took a breath and rubbed her eyes sleepily. "I'm just so tired that I can't even think straight anymore." She explained, making her way to the break room where she had spotted her three boys.

"Don't worry about it, Kate. I get to see you tomorrow, though, right? You'll come to the book signing?" he asked and she bit back a smile as she entered the break room. He wasn't even using Alexis and Tyler as an excuse to see her anymore.

"I promise. What time is it supposed to start?"

"Around 3."

"Okay, so should we get there early to get in line?" she got herself a glass of water and took a sip, handing Tyler his backpack.

"Of course not, Kate. I'll put your name on the list and you should be able to get through, don't worry." He told her and she smiled, excitement taking over. Even if he didn't know, he was her favorite author and the fact that her name would be on the list to get through to see him was kind of awesome.

"Alright. We're heading home now. I'll see you tomorrow, Rick." She waved goodbye at Ryan and Esposito and led Tyler to the elevator.

"Very much looking forward to it, detective." His voice was soft and warm in her ear and she felt a shiver run through her body imagining what it would be like to hear his voice when he was whispering in her ear personally.

Oh, boy, she really needed to pull herself together because those kinds of thoughts would not get her anywhere.

"Good night." She managed to say and hung up, taking a deep breath.

The man was driving her crazy and they were only talking on the phone. Just imagine what it would be like to…

_No_.

She was _not_ going there.

* * *

><p>Kate managed to sleep for glorious eight whole hours. They had gotten home, after stopping at Remy's to eat something, and she made sure Tyler took a shower and changed into his pajamas before she soaked in the bathtub for an hour. Relaxed and considerably more sleepy, she hung out with Tyler for a little white, cuddling on the couch with her little boy while they watched TV. Before she knew it, she had fallen asleep and woke up about an hour later with Tyler telling her to go to bed. She tucked him in first and then fell on her bed, not even bothering to pull the covers over herself.<p>

Eight whole hours. It was amazing.

The next morning, she made her son breakfast and they lazed around the apartment for a few hours. She wasn't in the mood to go on a cleaning spree – she would do that tomorrow – so she just read Rick's latest book, which she still hadn't had a chance to finish reading, even though she had bought it a couple of weeks before. And she would obviously take it to the store for him to sign.

As three o'clock drew closer, she decided to go get ready. When 4pm rolled around, they were making their way to the bookstore, amazed by the sheer amount of people that were lining up to get their books signed. The line was turning over the corner of 5th Avenue with East 45th Street and Kate was incredibly relieved they wouldn't have to suffer through hours of waiting. Sometimes she forgot he was a famous guy.

As they approached the front of the store, a blonde woman stopped them from going in.

"I'm sorry, but you have to get in line, ma'am." She told Kate in a demeaning tone.

"Oh, um… Rick said my name would be on the list?" she said, but it came out like a question. What if he had forgotten? "I'm Kate Beckett and this is my son Tyler." She told the woman and saw that there was a spark of recognition in her eyes, as the blonde looked at her from head to toes, as if assessing her worth.

"Ty!" They heard a child's voice exclaiming and Kate saw a blur of red and pink run towards them. "Hi, Kate." Alexis said excitedly when she reached the front of the store, stopping right next to the blonde, now scowling woman. "My dad was wondering where you guys were. Come on, I'll take you to him."

She grabbed Kate's hand and pulled her and Tyler inside the store, not even bothering to get the blonde woman's consent. Kate looked back and fought back a smirk at the look on the blonde's face. Before she knew it, she was standing in front of Rick as he was taking a break in a more secluded room.

"Finally." He told her when his eyes fell on her and she smiled. She had actually kind of missed him. Was that strange?

"Hello to you too, Rick." She narrowed her eyes at him and he smiled that boyish smile that she loved.

"Hi." He whispered softly and kissed her cheek, his hand on the small of her back pulling her closer.

"Hi." She murmured, trying to look anywhere that was not his lips.

"It's so good to see you." He told her quietly, still standing way too close. "We should be finished in a couple of hours here. Do you want to stick around?" he asked with those puppy dog looks and she rolled her eyes.

"I'll just browse around, maybe read a little." She said and he nodded, reaching out to tuck a loose strand of her hair behind her ear. "Are we doing anything after this?" she asked, fighting the shiver that desperately wanted to run through her body at his touch.

The lines between them were so blurred she wasn't even sure what was appropriate anymore. How had this happened? She didn't even remember when they had started crossing those lines in the first place. What the hell was he doing to her?

"Maybe we can go somewhere, get some dinner with the kids?" He suggested and she nodded, acutely aware that his hand was still resting comfortably on the small of her back.

"Sure, sounds good. Movie later?" She suggested as well and he grinned happily.

"It's a date, my dear detective."

He leaned in and for a moment she thought he was going to kiss her. She didn't know if she was relieved or disappointed when his lips touched her cheek, albeit a lot closer to her lips than he usually did.

This was getting way out of hand.

His blue eyes sparkled when his gaze locked on hers and she smiled, biting her lip.

"I'll see you in a little while." She whispered and felt him caress the small of her back before nodding and walking away. "Hey, Rick?" She called and he turned back to her. "I still want my autograph." She said teasingly handing him her copy of his book.

He grinned and took it from her hands, immediately opening it and scribbling something on the first page. She watched excitedly as he signed it, trying to read whatever it was he had written. Before she could see it, however, he closed the book and handed it back to her with a wink. Then he walked away, back to his fans.

She opened it, her heart hammering against her chest, and smiled widely at his words.

_To my dear Kate,_

_Santa was late this past Christmas, but he has finally delivered._

_-Rick Castle_

Did that mean what she thought it meant?

_God_, that man…

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><p><strong>Thoughts?<strong>


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Thank you so much. That is all.**

**Disclaimer: Not mine. But I'll give them back as soon as I'm done, promise.**

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><p><strong>Someone Like You<strong>

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><p><strong>Chapter 5<strong>

He truly hoped that she wouldn't take that dedication the wrong way. He didn't want to scare her off, but what was he supposed to write? It couldn't be one of those impersonal autographs that he had been doing for the past three hours – his wrist was screaming at him already – and it couldn't be anything too personal. So he had opted for the in between, which pretty much defined their relationship (or friendship or whatever the hell it was) at that moment.

He just wanted her to understand that she mattered to him, but maybe calling her his Christmas present was a bit too forward? Damn it, he didn't know what he was doing here. At the same time that he was incredibly comfortable with her, he felt like they were walking on eggshells around each other when it came to this attraction that seemed to sizzle between them. At least he hoped it was a mutual thing.

It had to be, right? She had been giving off all those signals that she enjoyed being around him and she didn't complain when he invaded her personal space. He had been pushing his luck earlier today when she arrived, holding her close, but she didn't seem to mind. Well, obviously she was blushing and biting her lip – both of which he found incredibly sexy whenever it happened – but she never pulled away.

So that meant the attraction he was feeling was mutual. Or maybe he shouldn't jump to conclusions. Maybe she was just being nice. God, when did this thing get so complicated? He was usually a master when it came to charming the ladies. He always knew what to say, what to do. He could always read them like a book.

So why was Kate so different?

"Rick!" he heard Gina's voice next to him and came crashing down to reality.

"What?" he asked annoyed and she glared at him.

"You were just staring off into space. Do you need to take a break?" she asked and he shook his head, reaching for the glass of water on the table to take a sip.

She had been snapping at him ever since Kate had arrived and had already annoyed the crap out of him about putting some woman's name on the list. He had taken a deep breath then and closed his eyes. He tried to understand. They had gotten divorced six months before and it hadn't been pleasant. He had been really tempted to find another publicist back then, but Gina was very good at her job and had remained completely professional when it came to their careers. Until now.

He sighed and looked at the line. There were about twenty people still waiting to get their books signed. As tempting as taking a break right now sounded, he just wanted to get this over with to go hang out with Kate and the kids.

"No, that's fine. There are not a lot of people left, anyway. I'll just finish up here." He told her and she narrowed her eyes at him, as if trying to decide something about him, then turned around and walked away.

Was she jealous of Kate?

She didn't even know her, hadn't even seen them together, so what was up with that?

"Daddy?"

"Hi, pumpkin." He smiled at his little red head. She was getting so big. He was so glad she was okay now and had made it through that nightmare in November. He touched the braid that was falling over her shoulder and tugged lightly. "You having fun with Ty?" He asked, taking a book from the woman in front of him.

"Yeah, but we're hungry. Are you almost done?" Alexis asked, leaning against his side.

"Almost. Why don't you and Tyler go find Kate so you can be ready to go as soon as I'm done?" he suggested and the young girl rolled her eyes.

"Way ahead of you, daddy. She's right over there." She said proudly and pointed in Kate's direction. She was leaning against the wall in the corner that was closer to the signing area and smiled at him when their eyes met. Tyler was sitting on the floor, back against one of the bookcases, reading a comic book.

"Oh, you're too smart for me, my little genius." He tickled her side and she giggled. "Go wait with her and we'll go soon." He said and Alexis nodded, kissing his cheek, then ran off towards Kate. He shook his head, smiling after his little girl. His eyes locked on Kate's again and his smile only grew when she leaned her head against the bookcase, a small smile playing on her lips. He winked at her and forced himself to concentrate on his work. "Sorry about that." He apologized to the woman still waiting on her autograph.

"That's okay. She's adorable." The woman commented and Rick offered her a smile. His kid was indeed adorable, he thought to himself.

"Thank you, but don't let that angel face fool you. She's a handful." He chuckled. "What's your name?"

"Denise Williams." She said with a smile. "How old is she?

"Almost 8." He answered shortly, but still with a warm tone to his voice. He had never liked people asking too much about Alexis. "Here you go, Denise Williams. I hope you'll enjoy it." He offered a smile and shook her hand.

The last twenty books he signed passed in a blur. He smiled, asked their names, signed their book and shook their hands. It was almost a mechanical process and he was incredibly relieved when it was finally over. Stretching his body, he felt all his joints crack in protest for sitting still for too long. He was getting too old for this.

He stood up and looked up to find Kate and the kids making their way toward him.

"Just two more minutes, guys. I just have to check in with Gina and tell her I'm leaving." He told them and Kate nodded.

He walked into the room behind them and quickly told his publicist that he was leaving. Gina looked up and raised an eyebrow at him.

"Do I have to worry about doing damage control in the morning?" she sneered and he frowned, confused.

"What are you talking about?"

"When your picture with the new girlfriend and her son hits the internet, what do you think is going to happen? It's just going to make my life more difficult." She explained slowly, as if she was talking to a small child.

"Okay, one, Kate is my friend so watch your tone when you're talking about her. And two, she's not my girlfriend. Our kids are friends and we're taking them out to get something to eat, if you must know. Not that it's any of your business."

"What do you think people are going to think, Rick? You, her and the two kids. Perfect little family. They're going to start talking about you being taken again and that is not good publicity for you. Not right now."

"You're blowing this way out of proportion. I have to go." He told her and turned around to leave.

"Let's just hope she is not after your money." Gina called after him and he let out a heavy sigh, not even bothering to answer.

He met Kate, Tyler and Alexis right outside the room and from the look in Kate's eyes, he knew she had heard at least part of it.

"Come on, guys, let's go." He said and the kids ran off in front of them to the exit doors. When he was sure they were out of ear range, he grabbed Kate's hand, stopping her for a moment. "I'm sorry you had to hear that." He said gently, his thumb slowly caressing her skin.

"Don't worry about it, Rick." She shook her head, but didn't look at him.

"Kate." He touched her chin, making her look up at him. "You know I don't think any of that about you, right?" he insisted and she nodded, biting her lip. "Gina is just doing her job. She didn't handle it well, but that's probably because our divorce was kind of ugly."

"That's your ex-wife?" Kate said surprised. "No wonder she was looking at me like I was the lowest of the low." She murmured and Rick chuckled quietly.

"Yeah, don't worry about her. And don't let what she said get to you, alright?" he tugged on her hand, pulling her closer, and wrapped an arm around her shoulders in a sideways hug. "For what it's worth, I know you're not after my money. You just want to take advantage of my body. You can't fool me." He whispered in her ear teasingly and was very pleased when she shivered at his words.

"In your dreams, Castle." She elbowed him in the stomach lightly and laughed. He pouted and pulled her closer, placing a kiss on her temple.

They walked in silence until the entrance of the store where Alexis and Tyler were waiting, coats, hats and gloves already on. They were probably really hungry, Rick mused. Before they stepped out onto the street, he reluctantly pulled his arm away from her shoulders. As much as he would love to keep holding her close, Gina was partially right and he didn't want those leeches taking their picture. Kate didn't have to go through that, especially being a cop. She looked up at him questioningly and he shrugged apologetically.

"We don't want any pictures that might get us in trouble." He whispered to her and smiled sadly. "Gina was right about that part at least. I don't want to mess up your life, you know?"

She nodded and took Tyler's hand in hers while he wrapped an arm around Alexis' shoulders.

"So where are we going?" Tyler asked as they crossed the street.

"Well, there's this nice little diner a few blocks from here." Kate suggested. "The one we went with the boys the other day, remember, Ty?"

"Oh, yeah, that place is awesome. Their double cheeseburger is so good." He told Rick and Alexis, excitedly.

"You guys okay with going there?" Kate turned to Rick and he nodded with a small smile.

"Sure, sounds good to me. Pumpkin?" he looked down at Alexis and the girl nodded.

They walked the three blocks to the diner mostly in silence, except for Alexis and Tyler occasionally pointing something out they had seen. Rick stole looks at Kate and was starting to worry that what Gina had so carelessly said had really bothered her. And he couldn't have that. Things were going so well between them. He wasn't sure what was going on exactly, but he felt so good when he was with her that he didn't care. Even if she didn't reciprocate his feelings, he would be content with just hanging out with her as a friend.

The past few months had been hell and meeting Kate and her son was the best thing that had happened in a while. He didn't want to lose that.

As they entered the diner, Alexis and Tyler quickly ran ahead to choose a booth they could sit at. Before they followed the kids, Rick touched her arm.

"Hey, are you okay?" he asked quietly and she nodded. "Are we okay?" he pressed, a little more hesitantly.

"Yeah, just…" she sighed and looked down to see his hand gently running up and down her arm. "I tend to forget you're a celebrity. This whole thing with your ex-wife just kind of put things in perspective for me, I guess."

"Kate…" he started, but she shook her head.

"Let's talk about this later? We can go back to my place and the kids can watch a movie or something."

"As long as we're okay." He insisted and she gave him a small smile.

"We're fine, Rick. Don't worry that pretty little head of yours." She teased and reached up to ruffle his hair, much to his dismay. "You'll get more wrinkles." That spark in her eyes was back and that was all he cared about.

"Ouch, Detective Beckett. That was so not cool." He nudged her side and they made their way to the booth where Tyler and Alexis were already checking the menu.

She laughed and he grinned. Yeah, they were going to be okay.

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><p>The drive to Kate's apartment was full of laughter as Alexis recounted one of Rick's many domestic accidents as he tried to entertain her. This time he had ended up with a sprained ankle and a few stitches on his arm when slipped and fell after breaking a glass of juice. Rick played being slightly put off by everyone laughing at his expense, but Kate caught him looking at her and the kids several times with a pleased smile.<p>

After Kate parked the car in the garage, Tyler and Alexis ran to the elevator, arguing about who would get to press the button. Kate shook her head, amused, and followed them with Rick walking slowly next to her. She knew he would want to talk about what had happened with Gina and she wasn't sure she wanted to get into it again. The thing was that the fact that he was a celebrity and constantly under public scrutiny had never even occurred to her. She had been so caught up in solving the case and trying to wrap her mind around what was going on between her and Rick that she never stopped to think about that people could easily be taking their picture.

She wasn't sure she could handle that and that was just as his friend. For now she refused to think about him as something else, even though their actions clearly showed otherwise. The problem was that she was afraid to risk herself again and get burned. When Josh left her, she was completely broken. Just when she had thought that maybe she would be able to stand living without her mother, the guy who had told her he loved her countless times suddenly left her without even looking back. She had been 23 years old then, a rookie at the NYPD and pregnant. She was emotionally broken for a long time. It was Tyler who brought her back and her life revolved around him since then.

She had dated sporadically, but nothing that stuck and she had never let any of them get anywhere near her son. She wouldn't give them a chance to abandon them again, so she kept every single one of them at arm's length. Those relationships lasted a few months tops and then it was just her and Tyler again. She would not allow herself to get hurt like that again. She had the love of her son and that would always be enough for her.

What was going on between her and Rick, however, was spiraling completely out of her control. She wasn't in love with him obviously – because they had only known each other for a week and that was a completely ridiculous thought – but she knew that if they kept it up like they were now, falling for him seemed inevitable and she didn't like that. The fact that he was a public person just added fault to the case.

But now Tyler was already attached and she didn't know what to do.

And to think, just a few days ago her life had been so uncomplicated, she thought to herself as she opened the door and let everyone in. The kids immediately started discussing which movie they were going to watch and Rick and Kate left them to it. She made her way to the kitchen, knowing he would follow her, and opened the fridge. Grabbing two beers, she handed him a bottle and leaned against the counter, taking a sip of the cold beverage.

"You're thinking too hard, detective." He nudged her side and she chuckled. "Don't." he told her and reached for her hand. His touch was soothing and she felt herself relaxing.

He was making things a lot more difficult when he was sweet like that.

"There's a lot to think about." She said quietly and bit her lip, chancing a glance at him.

"Care to share?"

"I don't know." She answered honestly.

She wasn't sure if she should tell him what was in her mind. How she was afraid of what was happening, afraid that he would get bored and disappear from their lives; that Tyler would get hurt. That _she_ would get hurt.

"Kate." His hold on her tightened slightly and she took another sip of her beer before looking up at him. "Let me help." He said simply and she sighed.

"These past few days… it's been a little overwhelming. Right? I mean…" she struggled to find the right words.

"Definitely overwhelming, yes." He agreed and she gave him a ghost of a smile.

"I mean, has this ever happened before with you? Because I have to keep reminding myself constantly that I have only known you for a week." She knew she was rambling, but now that she started she couldn't seem to stop the words from coming out. "I have no idea what's going on and it's always been just me and Tyler, you know? He is my life, that kid, and I don't want him to get hurt. I can't…" she took a deep breath, trying to put her thoughts in order. She wasn't even sure she was making any sense. "I can't let him get attached and then watch him suffer when you leave. I will never let him feel abandoned."

"Kate," he interrupted her rant and she looked up at him again, blushing slightly. "First, I don't know what's going on here either. And no, this has never happened before. Not this fast. I don't know what it is, but I just can't seem to get enough of your company." He admitted and she felt herself smiling at his confession. At least she wasn't alone in this whole thing.

"Same here." She confessed in a whisper and he chuckled quietly.

"And Alexis is already attached to you guys as well, so it's too late. You're not getting rid of us that easily." He said with a teasing tone and she snorted. "But I know where you're coming from. I'm a parent too, remember? A single parent, since her mother decided her career as an actress was more important than her 18-month-old daughter." Kate opened her mouth to say something, but he shook his head and tucked her hair behind her ear. "So I know exactly what you're feeling, exactly what you're afraid of."

"I don't know if it's worth the risk, though." She finally said after a beat. "Whatever it is between us, I mean." He looked away and she thought that maybe she was delusional and there was nothing much between them after all.

"What if it is, though?" he argued, squeezing her hand.

"We've only known each other for a week, Rick. We know nothing about each other. _Nothing_. I don't want to risk everything only to watch us crash and burn later, the kids included." She looked up at him and touched his chin, making him look at her. "You understand that, don't you?"

"But we can get to know each other." He countered and almost sounded like a little boy. She smiled, caressing his stubbly cheek.

"We can, yes." She agreed and he smiled. "Just as friends, though." She added.

"For now." He completed with a grin and she rolled her eyes, smiling nonetheless.

"For now." She acquiesced and he pulled her in for a hug. She narrowed her eyes at him and he shrugged.

"What, friends hug too, you know." He told her, that teasing sparkle clear in his eyes, and she gave in. "We'll make this work, Kate." His arms wrapped tightly around her waist and she wrapped hers around his with a sigh, resting her head on his shoulder.

"I know." She murmured against his neck. "When we're ready."

"Yeah." He kissed her temple, his lips lingering on her skin.

His warmth enveloped her in such a way that it was difficult to think. So she stayed there, her fears bubbling just underneath the surface. She would just have to hope against hope that he kept his word.

Because, God help her, she was already in too deep.

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><p><strong>AN: Tell me what you think?**


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Thank you so much for your incredible support, guys. I've been having so much fun writing this and the fact that you guys are enjoying it just makes me want to write faster and better. Special thanks to all the new readers who have just caught up.**

**Disclaimer: Castle is not mine, for the millionth time.**

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><p><strong>Someone Like You<strong>

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><p><strong>Chapter 6<strong>

_Had lunch yet?_

Rick typed and debated with himself for a moment if he should send it or not, his finger hovering over the send button. It was a Wednesday, he was bored (writer's block, really, but he would never admit that to anyone) and no one was home. Alexis was at school and wouldn't be home for a few hours and his mother was at rehearsal for her current play.

And it had been four days since he had last seen Kate. He missed her and he was well aware of how pathetic and clingy that sounded even in his own head. He had no idea why she hadn't run away from him screaming yet because this level of… he didn't even know how to describe it, but it wasn't normal. They were not normal. No ordinary couple dove in this quickly after knowing each other for so short a time.

Granted, they were not a couple (yet, his mind added), but he craved her company now. They had decided that Saturday night that whatever was happening between them could wait, so they wouldn't jeopardize their friendship and their children's as well if things just didn't work out in the end. He wasn't sure if things were better now that it was all out in the open. On the one hand, it was nice to know that he wasn't suffering through this thing alone and that it wasn't one-sided. On the other hand, however, this whole you can look, but you can't touch thing was just so not cool.

Not that they didn't touch. They did plenty of that, actually, but all in a very friendly way. There was nothing wrong with cuddling with a friend on the couch while watching a movie with their kids, right? After they had talked in the kitchen that night, it felt like he just couldn't stay away from her for very long. That hug had shattered all his defenses. He had gotten a taste of what it felt like to have her body pressed against his (however innocently it was), so he couldn't help himself afterwards. _They_ couldn't help themselves, it seemed, as she initiated the contact a few times too.

He sighed, scratching his chin and then decided that he didn't have anything to lose. Pressing the send button, he tossed his phone on his bed and made his way to the bathroom for a quick shower. When he came back out a few minutes later, her name was flashing on his screen, indicating a new text message.

_Not really. Unless you count too much coffee and a couple of M&Ms as lunch._

He smiled at her message, toweling his wet hair dry, before texting her back.

_What do you feel like eating, my dearest detective?_

He pressed send and went about the room looking for something to wear. After deciding on a light blue button down and jeans, he heard his phone chime again. Pulling his clothes on quickly, he checked her new text.

_I don't know, what do you feel like eating, my dearest mystery novelist?_

He laughed at that and dialed her number, holding his breath as he waited for her to pick up.

"Beckett." He heard her voice, a smile immediately blossoming on his lips.

"You're not making me choose, you know. I asked first." He told her and delighted in her quiet laugh.

"Hello to you too, Mr. Castle." She teased and he chuckled.

"Why, hello, Detective Beckett. How are you this fine morning?"

"I'm very good, Mr. Castle. How about you?" her voice carried that joking tone and he grinned while running around his room grabbing his wallet and keys.

"Well, I'm hungry and really craving your company. Want to grab some lunch?" he decided to cut right to the chase. No use stalling when they both knew that he just wanted to see her. She was silent for a beat and he could just picture her biting on her bottom lip, thinking.

"Sure. Would you mind waiting until I finish something here, though? Then we can go." She told him, sounding shy.

"No problem at all, Kate. 12th Precinct, right?" he asked, locking his front door and making his way to the elevator.

"Yeah, know where it is?"

"Yeah. Be there in ten minutes."

"Alright, see you then, Rick." She said and he hung up, entering the elevator.

He couldn't wait to see her.

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><p>Kate hung up and stared at her phone for a moment, trying to decide if this was a good idea. They hadn't seen each other since Saturday night – when things had gotten a little intense and scary – and she wasn't sure if being alone with him would be the best move on their part. It would be the first time that they would be alone, just the two of them without the kids. Add that fact to the conversation they had the last time they had seen each other, when they basically admitted that there was something happening between them, and you had a potentially (deliciously) dangerous situation.<p>

"Hot date, Beckett?" She turned around to find Esposito grinning at her and rolled her eyes.

"Anyone ever tell you it's rude to eavesdrop on people's conversations, Esposito?" she glared at him, but he didn't seem fazed by it.

"What, I was just walking by and couldn't help but overhear your conversation. Did you know that you twirl your hair a lot when you're talking to whoever that was?" He smirked at her and she sighed. She just couldn't have a private life with those two goons of partners hovering over her.

"I'm just having lunch with a friend, if you must know, you nosy bastard." She told him and turned back to the report she had to finish before Rick arrived.

"Friend, huh? Are we going to have to rough him up, tell him to take very good care of you?" he lifted an eyebrow and she felt herself blushing slightly. It was sweet, really, that they looked out for her like that in their bullheaded, annoying brotherly way.

"No, because he is just my _friend_. Now get outta here, I have to finish this." He shoved him lightly and chuckled when he tripped over his feet and glared at her.

Turning back to her task at hand, she concentrated on recounting the details of the murder scene of the case they had just closed. She was so focused on putting some sort of order to her notes, that she jumped, startled, when someone touched her shoulder.

"Sorry, didn't mean to scare you." She turned around when she heard his voice, hitting his arm.

"God, what are you, a freaking ninja? Make some noise next time." She tried to glare at him, but a smile won out in the end. "Hi."

"Hi." He said softly, leaning down to kiss her cheek. She blushed, well aware that Esposito and Ryan were most likely watching their interaction. "Ready to go?"

"Almost. Give me two more minutes?" she asked and he nodded, sitting down on a chair that was conveniently right beside her desk. Barely a minute had passed before his voice interrupted her thoughts again.

"You know, I can't decide if I should be flattered or scared, the way those two are looking at me." He whispered and she looked up to find her two partners looking at them with barely concealed interest.

She snorted and rolled her eyes, when they quickly tried to look busy after realizing she had caught them staring.

"Ignore them. They just want to look tough because you're new." She told him with a shrug, and then groaned inwardly when she saw both of them walking over to her desk. "What?" she narrowed her eyes at them, but they studiously ignored her.

"Hi, I'm Detective Ryan and this is my partner Detective Esposito." He reached out his hand to Rick, who shook it with a smile.

"Rick Castle. Nice to meet you guys." he said nicely, now shaking hands with Esposito. Kate wanted to shoot both of them. "I've heard a lot about you from Kate."

"Really?" Esposito said slowly, turning to her with a smirk.

"Just about how annoying and nosy you both are." She glared at them, but ended up shaking her head with a smile when they just grinned at her. "Rick, these are my two partners, who obviously don't understand the concept of privacy." She narrowed her eyes at them and they looked back at her innocently. "Guys, this is my friend Rick Castle."

"What, we just thought we'd come by and say hey. Since you never introduced us, you know." Ryan told her, his blue eyes sparkling as he fought hard to contain a grin.

"Yeah, that was very rude, Beckett." Esposito added and she sighed, rolling her eyes.

"Well, now that you've all been introduced to each other, how about you go back to work? I know that pile of paperwork over there has both your names on it. Scram." She shooed them away and turned to Rick, who was watching the whole exchange, amused. "What?"

"You're blushing." He grinned at her and she groaned.

"Shut up. Let's just go before they get any ideas." She stood up, putting on her coat and grabbed her purse. "Come on."

He followed her to the elevator and she felt his hand touch the small of her back as they waited for it. She was well aware that her boys were watching their every move like hawks and had every intention of stepping away from Rick's touch, but he caressed her hip gently and whispered in her ear.

"They're just trying to get a rise out of you. Ignore them." She closed her eyes for a moment and let out a sigh, relieved, when the elevator arrived. When the doors opened, Lanie stepped out and Kate almost felt like screaming. Clearly, today was not her day.

"Hi, Lanie. Bye, Lanie." She told her friend quickly and entered the elevator with Rick right behind her. Lanie looked at her confused, then looked at Rick, understanding dawning on her.

"Wait, is that…?" she started to ask, but the doors closed and Kate slumped against the back wall with a sigh. Rick laughed.

"Well, that was interesting." He commented and she chuckled, nodding.

"Sorry about that. This is their way of being protective." She leaned her head back against the wall and closed her eyes. She had to hand it to them, though. They had managed to be friendly and threatening at the same time, those two idiots.

"It's good to know you've got friends like them looking out for you." He tucked her hair behind her ear and she smiled at him.

"Yeah, they're good guys. Absolutely no respect for my private life, but still really good guys. Tyler loves them." She explained with a small smile and he wrapped an arm around her shoulders. She leaned against him and sighed. They were pathetic.

"I can see why." He mumbled against her hair, where he placed a tender kiss.

The doors opened and they stepped out, his arm falling from her shoulders. She immediately missed his warmth and looked at him hesitantly as they walked through the precinct's door and onto the street, where snow was falling lightly. She debated with herself for a moment, but decided to throw caution to the wind (well, kind of) and took his hand in hers. He looked at her, surprised, for a second, but when she didn't release his hand as they braved through the busy New York sidewalk, he gave her a warm smile, threading his fingers through hers.

She smiled back a little shyly and he pulled her closer. She quickly saw the wisdom of his action; if they walked closely through the throngs of people, it didn't even look like they were holding hands, which wouldn't give those paparazzi bastards any opportunity to take their picture. They walked in silence for a few minutes.

"Where exactly are we going, Rick?" Kate asked, after realizing she had no idea where he was leading her to.

"I discovered this little Italian place the other day and it's just a few blocks away from here. Is Italian okay? I forgot to ask, sorry." He smiled sheepishly and she nodded, running her thumb on his skin. "So yeah, it's really good. They make this lasagna that is just the best thing ever."

"Lead the way, then, Mr. Castle." She told him with a grin.

"When do you have to get back to the precinct?"

"In about an hour. The boys would call me if something came up, though. Let's just hope no body drops in the next hour." She explained and he nodded, reaching up to brush the tiny flakes of snow that were clinging to her hair.

Her phone chimed in her pocket, indicating a new text message. She pulled it out and rolled her eyes when she read Lanie's message.

"What is it?" he asked curiously and she showed him the text displayed on her phone.

_Was that your writer boy? What was he doing here? Dirty details later, young lady! _

_PS: He is a lot hotter in person too._

Rick laughed out loud after reading it and Kate rolled her eyes again with a small grin.

"I really like your friends." He told her after a moment and she lifted an eyebrow at him. "Do you agree with her, Detective Beckett? Am I a lot hotter in person?" he smirked at her devilishly and she blushed.

"I plead the 5th." She said and looked away, willing herself to stop blushing near him. When she looked up at him again, he was still grinning at her widely, looking very pleased with himself. "Oh shut up, Rick." She elbowed him lightly, but he kept grinning all the way to the restaurant.

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><p>They ate the delicious lasagna Rick had mentioned, while discussing their plans for the following weekend. It was going to be Alexis' birthday and Rick was planning a small get together at the loft. When they were done, Rick paid for their lunch – completely ignoring her protests – and they started the walk back to the precinct. He took her hand in his again, immediately intertwining his fingers with hers. Kate tried to ignore the butterflies in her stomach.<p>

"I just want this to be special for her, you know?" he told her and she nodded. "She said she didn't want anything big, but we've been through hell these past couple of months. I want her to have a good birthday after everything."

"Does this have anything to do with why you guys were in the hospital that day?" she asked gently, praying that she wasn't asking too much.

"Yeah." He sighed and she bit her lip.

"What happened? I mean, you don't have to tell me if you don't want to talk about it." She added quickly when his look darkened slightly.

"No, it's okay." He offered her a small, sad smile. "Like she said that day, she fell off her horse. She begged me to have horseback riding lessons for months last year. In July, I finally gave in and she started her lessons. She was so happy, Kate. She loved being out there, loved the horses." He smiled at the memory and she squeezed his hand encouragingly. "Then one day in November, I was busy. Had to finish the book and I had already missed my deadline, so I stayed home to write. My mother took her to her lesson. To this day, I don't know what really happened. All I know is that something spooked the horse she was riding and she couldn't hold on." He took a deep breath and Kate could see this was difficult for him to talk about. The fact that he was willing to tell her meant a lot. "She hit her head on the ground and broke her leg. At first, it seemed like she just had a broken leg and a bump in her head. But then she passed out when we got home and we rushed her back to the hospital."

They stopped in front of his car, near the precinct and he leaned against it, facing her. She held onto his hand, trying to give some sort of comfort. He sighed heavily before continuing.

"She was bleeding into her brain and they didn't catch it when she was first brought in because it was really minor. But she needed surgery immediately to stop her brain from swelling and after that she was in an induced coma for about a week."

"Oh, Rick, I'm so sorry." Kate said, her heart breaking for him. She couldn't even imagine what it was like to not know if your child was going to survive. She didn't want to.

"She stayed in the hospital for about a month. They released her right before Christmas so she could spend it at home." He smiled sadly. "She was so happy to be home. She didn't even want any presents. Said her present was to be back home."

"But she's okay now, right?" Kate asked, pulling him in for a hug. He definitely looked like he needed it.

"Yeah. She still needs to go back to the hospital for a checkup every month for the next six months, but she's fine now. Thank God." He wrapped his arms around her waist and buried his face in her neck, breathing her in. "The worst part was that her mother just deemed it necessary to come to New York only a week after the accident and flew right back to LA when Alexis moved to a regular room."

Kate pulled back to look at him and framed his face in her hands.

"Alexis is so lucky to have you, Rick. You're such a good dad to her." She whispered to him and he closed his eyes. "Don't ever let anyone tell you otherwise."

He nodded and she hesitated for a moment, before leaning in touching his lips with hers.

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><p><strong>AN: Let me know what you think?**


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: Have I mentioned how awesome you guys are? Because you really, really are. Thank you so much for all your support. Seriously, the amount of alerts and reviews has blown me away. Talk about pressure, right? I'm loving it. Also, if you guys have been wondering what Tyler looks like (because so many of you seem to be in love with the little guy, which is pretty cool), this link (http:/bit* .ly/qErl77) is exactly how I had pictured him. Go on, satisfy your curiosity. Let me know what you think and if it was exactly how you pictured him as well.**

**Hope you enjoy this one.**

**Disclaimer: Castle is not mine.**

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><p><strong>Someone Like You<strong>

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><p><strong>Chapter 7<strong>

The moment their lips touched, Kate realized they had just stepped into a very, very forbidden territory. She had only intended to comfort him, but having him hold her like that, his lips pressed to hers, she knew she was a goner. How were they supposed to walk away from this now? Damn it, couldn't have she just kissed him on the freaking cheek, like they had gotten so used to? But he had looked so lost and defeated as he recounted how his daughter had had a terrifyingly close encounter with death that she didn't think before acting.

The kiss in itself was very brief. In the end, it was just what she had intended it to be – a way to comfort him. But now they had crossed the line they had been tiptoeing so carefully since they had met two weeks before. She pulled away from him and watched as he still kept his eyes closed for a moment longer, his hold on her waist tightening as if to stop her from running.

They stared at each other for few seconds, trying to wrap their minds around what they had just done. He reached up and touched her cheek, his thumb gently tracing her lips. Kate closed her eyes for a moment and felt his lips press against hers one more time. He surprised her by not trying to deepen it, instead just placing butterfly kisses on her lips. Damn it, so much for trying not to do anything about it in an effort to not ruin things between them.

"I really blew it, didn't I?" she finally whispered against his lips and felt them curve into a smile.

"I wouldn't say that." He tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear, his hand lingering on her skin. She lifted an eyebrow at him, skeptically. "But if I'm being honest, then yeah, kind of." He chuckled when she closed her eyes, grimacing.

"Damn, we were doing so well." She shook her head and he pulled her closer.

"I have no idea what you're talking about. Because _that_ was definitely not going well." He told her and she laughed, resting her forehead on his.

"We are ridiculous." She whispered and he placed a chaste kiss on her lips again. She kissed him back and when his tongue brushed against her lips, she gave in, her last wall crumbling to the ground. She had just gotten a taste of his tongue deliciously playing with hers when her phone rang, making them both jump. She took a deep breath, trying to calm down her racing heart before answering. "Beckett."

"Hey, boss. We got a new one just a couple of blocks down from here." She heard Ryan's voice and sighed, closing her eyes. Of course her job would interrupt their moment.

"Alright, I'm already on my way back to the precinct, so I'll be right there." She told him and hung up, looking at Rick apologetically. "I have to go." She said softly, resting her forehead on his again.

"New case?" he asked, his arms sneaking into her open coat and wrapping around her waist. She nodded. "Those damn murderers." He shook his head with a teasing smile and she rolled her eyes, amused.

"I'm sorry. Can we put this conversation on hold until later?" she asked and he nodded, leaning in to place another kiss on her lips, and then trailing down to her neck. She closed her eyes for a moment, giving in to the feelings he was eliciting.

"Go catch the bad guys, detective." He told her with a pleased grin at what she undoubtedly knew was her flushed skin.

"That was not fair, Rick. So not fair." She shook her head with a small smile and stepped away from his embrace. "We'll talk later?"

"Call me when you're done here?" he asked, unlocking his car and she nodded.

"I'll see you later, writer boy." She smirked at him and he laughed, waving as he got inside and drove away.

Kate stood there in the sidewalk for a few more seconds, reality crashing down on her. What the hell had they done?

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><p>Hours later, she could still feel her lips tingling from his touch as she stood in front of the murder board, trying to make sense of the timeline that led to her victim's death. She looked over to the break room where Tyler was chatting happily to one of the uniforms. She had picked him up from school a couple of hours before and since his usual babysitter was still out of town, she had no choice, but to take him back to the precinct with her.<p>

She had almost called Rick to ask if he could watch him for a few hours, but she had no idea where they stood at this point. Things had seemed fine after they had kissed, but she knew she had been doing her fair share of freaking out since then. Who's to say he wasn't doing the same?

They had really screwed up. Sure, the lines had been incredibly blurry between them, but they could always just chalk it up to being really close, really affectionate friends. Now that they had kissed, it felt like they couldn't back away from it and she wasn't sure about what she wanted to do. Did she want a relationship with him? Was that even what _he_ wanted? And what if things just became awkward between them, how would the kids be affected by it?

Damn it, she should have just pulled it together and resisted her stupid hormones. But then again, her intentions had been pure and all she really wanted to do then was comfort him somehow. And now look at this mess.

"Hey, mom?" she blinked and turned to find her son standing next to her.

"Hi, sweetie. What is it? No looking at the murder board, young man." She added, turning him to face her, his back to the gruesome pictures she had been staring at.

"I wasn't looking, mom." He rolled her eyes at her and she hit him lightly upside his head.

"Watch it, kid." She pulled on his ear affectionately and smiled when he rubbed his head pouting. "You were saying…?"

"I'm hungry. Are we going home soon?"

He used his puppy dog look on her and she narrowed her eyes at him, before turning back to the murder board. She was still waiting on Lanie's report and the boys were bringing in the victim's next of kin. She still had a lot to do and going home seemed like a distant dream. She looked back at Tyler, trying to decide what to do.

With a sigh, she ran her fingers through his hair gently, pulling him into a hug. He immediately relaxed against her, his good arm wrapping around her waist and his head resting on her stomach. He was getting so big. Biting on her lip nervously, she pulled out her phone and composed a quick text message.

_You busy?_

"Just a second, okay, Ty? I'll see what I can do."

She leaned down, planting a kiss on his hair, reveling on the feel of her child's small body pressed on hers, his little arm hugging her. It was amazing how innocent and effortless their love for each other was. She couldn't even imagine her life without him, didn't even want to think about what Rick had gone through when Alexis was in the hospital. Hell, her son broke his arm and she had been damn near hysterical with fear.

Her phone buzzed in her hand and she opened Rick's reply.

_Not really. Are you done already?_

She took a deep breath, debating with herself if she should ask him or not. Finally, she decided that they were already screwed, anyway. This couldn't possibly make things worse, right?

_Not even close. Tyler is here, though, and I don't have anyone to watch him until I'm done._

She pressed send and waited for his reply, holding her breath nervously. What if he said no? What would that mean for them? Her phone chimed again before she could give in to a full on freak out attack.

_Say no more. On my way to pick him up. Be there soon._

She let out a breath, relieved and smiled down at her son, who was looking up at her curiously.

"Rick is coming by to pick you up. Is that okay?" She brushed his hair away from his eyes, which had lighted up at the mention of Rick's name. She still found it baffling how taken he was with Rick and Alexis after so short a time. But then again, who was she to say anything, really? She had made out with the guy after only two weeks. She was even worse.

"That's totally okay, mom." He told her with a big smile, the dimple in his cheek making an appearance. She smiled at his excitement and texted Rick back.

_Thank you so much. Life savior, that's what you are. :)_

Pressing send, she decided to take a break and led Tyler to the break room. The boy said hi to the two uniforms that were hanging there and immediately started discussing baseball with them. Kate shook her head, amused. That kid was the most social little guy she had ever seen. Making her way to the counter, she poured herself a cup of coffee, cringing at the taste as it went down her throat. Whatever, it was caffeine and she was way overdue for her fix. She had no trouble admitting she survived on the stuff and the lack of it made her completely cranky.

Just as she was finishing her coffee, Esposito popped his head in, saying the vic's mom was in the conference room waiting for her. Kate took a deep breath, trying to steel herself for what she was about to face. She always hated this part, telling someone that their loved one was dead. Half an hour later, she walked out of the room assuring the mother that she would do everything in her power to find who had killed her son. Once she had led the woman to the elevator, she walked back to her desk and was about to collapse on her chair when she heard laughter coming from the break room.

Curiosity got the best of her and she made her way there only to find Rick, Alexis, Tyler and the boys cracking up about a story Rick was telling. She stood at the door for a moment, watching the scene with a smile. Soon, Rick's eyes met hers and lighted up with a smile. She watched him for a beat, trying to decide how to play this, but Alexis interrupted her inner battle.

"Hi, Kate." The girl said with a smile, making her way to her to give her a hug.

Seeing that little girl with changing baby teeth after knowing what had happened to her just a couple of months before made Kate look at her in a whole new light. She hugged her back, leaning down to kiss her red hair, just like she had done with her son not long ago.

"Hey, Lex. Didn't know you were coming too." She told her as the girl grabbed her hand and pulled her into the room.

"Daddy is taking us to the park." She explained, stopping next to Rick, who lifted his eyebrows at her questioningly. She nodded and was surprised (or not really, if she was honest with herself) when he kissed her cheek gently.

"Hi." He said quietly and she offered him a small smile.

"Hi, yourself." She leaned back against the counter next to him, their arms brushing slightly. "Thank you for coming. I just didn't want him to stay here for too long." She told him quietly and watched out of the corner of her eye that her partners were watching their interaction interestedly.

"No problem, Kate. I'm taking them to the park for a little bit and then we'll go back to the loft. Maybe watch a movie." He said and she nodded, smiling. "Are you picking him up later or do you want me to drive him back to your place?"

"No, I'll come pick him up, don't worry. I'm just not sure how long I'll be."

"That's okay. Just come by whenever. We can get something to eat, talk." He looked at her and she knew exactly what he wanted to talk about.

"Sure." She told him and fought the urge to relax into his side, his warmth was so inviting.

"Hey, Beckett, Lanie says she found something we should see." Esposito told her and she sighed. God, she just hoped it was something good so they could crack this case. They still had no leads.

"Alright, let's go." She watched as the boys filed out of the room and turned to Rick. "I'll see you later. Thanks for taking care of him." She leaned in and kissed his cheek.

"I'll see you later, Kate." He squeezed her hand lightly and she watched as his eyes focused on her lips for a second. She shook her head, nodding at the kids who were happily chatting behind them. He sighed, running a hand through his hair, and she smiled.

"Later." She whispered and he nodded with a small smile. "Ty, you be good to Rick, okay? I'll come by the loft to pick you up later." She leaned down and kissed her little boy's forehead.

"See you later, mom. Love you."

"Love you too, kid." She smiled, ruffling his hair. "Best behavior, young man." She narrowed her eyes at him and he gave her a salute. She shook her head, chuckling and leaned down to give Alexis a kiss as well. "See you guys later."

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><p>It was past midnight when she finally got in her car to drive to Rick's loft. She was past the point of exhaustion and just hoped to get there in one piece, as sleep was threatening to get the best of her. She pulled out her phone and called him quickly to tell him she was on her way and started her car. The drive was silent and slow as she had to drive carefully through the slippery New York streets. The snow had finally given them a break, but there were banks of melting ice everywhere. The temperature had dropped significantly as well and she shivered, pulling her coat closer to her body when she got out of her car near Rick's building.<p>

She crossed the lobby and smiled at the doorman, who told her to go right ahead, Mr. Castle was waiting for her. She tried not to dwell on the fact that the doorman already knew her, even if she had been here only a couple of times. The elevator ride was short and soon she was knocking on his door. Smoothing down her clothes, suddenly feeling self-conscious, she waited nervously for him to open the door. A few seconds later, the door opened and he greeted her with a smile.

"Hi." He pulled her inside and wrapped her in his arms. She sighed and relaxed into his warmth, feeling him press a kiss to her hair.

"Sorry I took so long." She whispered against his neck and pulled back to look at him. He touched her lips with his lightly. She guessed they were okay with the whole kissing thing, then, but that didn't exempt them from that talk.

"No problem. We had fun, the kids and I. We had a full out snowball war in Central Park." He told her and she saw that childish glee in his eyes that she thought was incredibly adorable. "Don't worry, I got your boy some dry clothes afterwards." He added and she chuckled, nodding.

"That's good, I'm glad he had fun. Thank you for watching him. You didn't have to." She leaned her head on his shoulder again, exhaustion getting the best of her.

"I wanted to. He's a fun kid." He gently ran his hand up and down her back. "Long day, huh?"

"You can say that again." She yawned and he led her to the kitchen, arms around her waist. A small part of her brain was yelling at her that they should talk about this before giving in to it so quickly, but she was cold and tired and he just felt so good and his embrace was everything she needed right now.

"You hungry?" he asked, opening the fridge as she leaned against the counter.

"Not really. I'm just really, really tired." She told him through sleepy eyes.

He offered her something to drink and she took a glass of water. They went back to the living room and Kate collapsed on the couch, knowing that they needed to talk. He sat down next to her and she leaned into his side, his arm immediately pulling her closer.

"We should talk." She whispered, rubbing her cheek sleepily on his shoulder. He kissed her forehead and ran his fingers gently up and down her arm.

"Yes, we should." He agreed. "What do you think we should do?"

When there was no answer from her for over a minute, Rick looked down at her. A smile lighted up his features as he pressed another kiss to her hair.

She had fallen asleep.

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><p><strong>AN: Thoughts?**


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: Thank you. Really.**

**Disclaimer: Nope, still not mine.**

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><p><strong>Someone Like You<strong>

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><p><strong>Chapter 8<strong>

Rick woke up to movement on his side. His eyes remained closed as he tried to hang on to any remnants of the peaceful dream he had been having just seconds before. When the movement next to him didn't stop, he ventured opening his eyes slowly. It was still dark outside, the sky just starting to take on a tenuous shade of lighter blue. From his spot on the couch, he could see the almost full moon, which was the only source of light at that moment. Blinking groggily, he finally looked for the source of movement, only to find Kate shaking next to him, her face scrunched up as if she was in pain. A low moan escaped her lips and her body curled itself in a fetal position as much as their close proximity allowed.

He watched her for a moment, unsure of what to do. Checking his watch, he realized it was a little over five in the morning. Another painful moan escaped her and he decided right then that he couldn't just stand there and do nothing. Touching her cheek gently, he called her name once, twice, three times, but she couldn't seem to snap out of it. He tried again, this time shaking her shoulder with a bit more force. Her eyes snapped open suddenly and he could have sworn he had never seen anyone look so scared in his life as she did at that moment. He watched as she looked at him, her breathing still coming out in gasps and sweat soaking her skin. It took her eyes a moment to focus on him and remember where she was.

"Are you okay?" He asked after a minute, brushing away a strand of her hair that was clinging to her forehead.

"What…" she swallowed hard and tried to take a deep breath. "What happened?"

"You were having a nightmare. I think." He watched as her eyes darted around the room, the tears threatening to escape at any second. "Jesus, Kate, you're shaking." He ran his hands on her arms gently, trying to soothe her. "Do you want some water? Hang on, I'm going to get you some water."

"No, just…" Her hand quickly shot up and caught his wrist as he was standing up. "Just stay." She whispered, her voice shaking. "Please. I'll be okay in a minute."

He sat back down and pulled her to him, his hands working to give her some warmth as her shivering had yet to subside. He heard her take several deep, shaky breaths until she calmed down. They were silent for a few minutes. He didn't know what to do, how to comfort her, or if she would even want to talk about it. Whatever it was, though, it had to have been something really bad to elicit a reaction like that from her.

"I'm sorry." He heard her whisper into the quiet living room and shook his head, pressing a kiss to her forehead. "I didn't mean to wake you."

"Don't worry about it. Are you okay?" He looked down at her, the tear tracks on her cheek now visible by the moonlight. She nodded, closing her eyes and hiding her face on his shoulder. "Do you want to talk about it?" He asked softly and felt her shaking her head.

"What time is it?" she murmured, her voice still a little hoarse. He checked his phone, the glow of it illuminating her features better as she quickly wiped her tears away.

"5:15."

"I should go." She tried to sit up, but his arm kept her firmly in place. "I have to get Tyler home, Rick. And I have to be at the Precinct in a couple of hours."

"Let me make you some coffee at least." She nodded and stood up. He followed her and grabbed her wrist as she turned away to make her way up the stairs. "Hey, are you going to be okay?" He asked concerned.

She offered him a small, sad smile and nodded, before turning around and walking up the stairs to the guest room. He watched her leave, concern weighing on him. What could possibly have caused that kind of nightmare? She had been so incredibly trapped in it that it had taken him four tries to wake her up. He remembered her mentioning something about a difficult time in her life, back when she had met the asshole that would eventually abandon her pregnant and alone. Maybe the nightmare had something to do with that. She had said then that she didn't like talking about it, that it was too difficult. He just didn't want her to suffer through this alone. Whatever it was, it seemed to be something incredibly painful.

He moved through the kitchen quickly, starting the coffee maker and whipping up some toasts. Checking the fridge, he took out a carton of orange juice for Tyler, pouring some in a glass and leaving it on the kitchen table. The toasts popped up on the toaster and he quickly put them on a plate, along with two steaming mugs of coffee. Then he sat down and waited for her.

A few minutes later, she appeared on the top of the stairs with a sleepy Tyler leaning against her side. They made their way slowly down the stairs and she smiled when she saw that he had actually made her breakfast.

"You didn't have to do that." She told him when they reached the table, but he just shook his head dismissing it.

"It was no trouble and I wanted to eat too." He looked at her, trying to gauge her mood and smiled when she sat down. "Morning, Ty." He greeted the boy, ruffling his already messy hair.

"Morning." Tyler mumbled, biting on a piece of toast.

They ate in a comfortable silence. A few minutes later, Kate told her son to go grab his stuff so they could go. Once Tyler had run into the living room, Rick reached out for her hand, running his thumb over her skin. She sighed and squeezed his hand.

"We will talk about everything, Rick. I promise." She said before he could get a word out. "But this is exactly the kind of situation I was trying to avoid with the kids. Tyler already asked why we slept over instead of going home."

"What did you say?" he asked quietly and she shrugged.

"That it was really late and I was really tired and you offered to let us stay." She explained and he nodded understandingly. "But this?" she motioned at their joined hands. "And everything else, how we've been acting around them, it gives them the wrong idea and I don't want that."

"I know, you're absolutely right." He said, looking down sheepishly. "What do you suggest we do, then? Because I can't walk away, Kate. Not anymore."

"I don't know." She murmured and closed her eyes. "Maybe we should just go back to the way things were before? Consider yesterday a fluke?"

"But I don't want that." He protested. "I mean, is that even possible for you? Pretend that nothing happened, that nothing's changed? Because I don't think I can do that."

"I don't know, but we have to try. I don't want them to get caught up in the middle of whatever is happening between you and me. Tyler is already attached to you guys, so I am not just suddenly going to make him stop seeing you. Especially because I don't want that either. But he is already confused as to what's going on, you know?" She let out a breath before continuing. "He is my priority and whatever we do is going to affect him and Alexis."

Rick nodded, knowing she was right. Alexis had already asked him the night before if Kate was his new girlfriend, to which he had assured his little girl that Kate was a friend, whom he cared about very much. He understood Kate's concern, he really did. He never brought any girls home, unless he was serious about them. After Meredith had left, the only one he had brought home was Gina and he had ended up marrying her. Sure, their marriage had sunk like the freaking Titanic, but he had been serious about her once upon a time.

The problem with Kate was that Alexis met her from the start, before anything had happened. Now he was at a loss of what to do, of how to deal with those feelings that were bubbling up inside of him. He didn't want his little girl to get caught in the cross-fire.

"We'll figure it out." He gave her a sad smile, just as Tyler walked back into the kitchen. She let go of his hand and turned to her son, helping him zip up his coat and pull his gloves on over his casted hand.

They stood up and Rick walked them to the door.

"Tell Lexi I said bye." Tyler said and he nodded, smiling down at the boy.

"I will. I'll see you later, buddy." He told him and Tyler waved, making his way to the elevator to press the button. Rick sighed and turned to Kate. "I guess we'll just talk later?" His voice sounded sad and disappointed even to his own ears and he felt like kicking himself.

"Yeah." She managed a small, weak smile. "I'll call you later." She kissed his cheek and walked towards her son, entering the elevator.

He watched them until the doors closed and they disappeared from view. His hand unconsciously touched his cheek, where her lips had kissed him not even a minute before. Sighing, he went back inside and closed the door behind him, leaning against it.

This sucked.

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><p>Rick managed to sleep for another hour after Kate and Tyler left. Around 7:30, he got out of bed to go wake Alexis and get her ready to school. He did a lot of their usual routine on autopilot, his mind trying to come up with a solution for his current predicament with Kate. He drove Alexis to school and went back to the loft. He had another signing this afternoon and his heart just wasn't in it. In fact, this whole aspect of his job had only been fun at first. Now it had become a chore and he was glad he didn't have to do it all the time. Around noon, he started thinking what he should get for lunch and was tempted to call Kate to see if she wanted to have lunch with him. But after what she had said, he figured it was for the best if they spent some time apart. It seemed like the longer they were around each other, the stronger this magnetism between them seemed to get.<p>

He was dialing his favorite Thai restaurant's number to order in when his doorbell rang. He frowned, not expecting anyone, and groaned inwardly when he saw it was Gina on the other side of the door. Sighing heavily, he opened the door.

"Hi, Gina." He greeted her, but she didn't say anything and stormed past him into the apartment. "By all means, please come in." he mumbled sarcastically to himself and closed the door.

"This is exactly why I yelled at you the other day." She told him and he frowned, confused.

"What are you talking about?" he asked her tiredly and she shoved her IPad in his face. His blood froze in his veins.

There were several pictures of him and Kate from yesterday as they walked back to the precinct after lunch. As he scrolled down the pictures, he saw that they had managed to catch them holding hands, hugging against his car and – he closed his eyes, almost not wanting to look as he scrolled down to the last picture – kissing.

Shit.

"Do you have any idea what kind of damage control I'm going to have to do to contain this? Because I don't think you understand that whatever you do in public has a chance of ending up on the goddamned internet. Damn it, Rick."

"How long have those been out?" he asked quietly, his hands covering his face warily.

"Not long. I've already asked them to take them down, but it might be too late. Do you have any idea how many strings I'm going to have to pull, how many favors I'm going to have to call in? This is exactly why I asked you if I had to worry and you assured me you two were just friends. Kissing in broad daylight in the middle of the freaking street, Rick? What the hell were you thinking?" she ranted and Rick sighed, completely at a loss. How was he supposed to tell Kate?

"Just…" he took a deep breath and tried to pull himself together. "Just do the best you can do to bury this. Please, Gina? Just… it was a mistake, we just got caught in the moment and I didn't even remember we were in public."

"Are you two together? Because I might have to release a statement about this, about who she is."

"No. No statement. And I don't know what the hell we are. It's…" he ran a hand over his head frustrated. "It's complicated between us. Just try to fix this and whatever you do, do not release her name or who she is or what she does. Please."

"You owe me big time, Rick Castle. Big time." She spat out and stormed out.

He took a deep breath and grabbed his wallet and keys, throwing his jacket on. He had to tell Kate.

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><p>Kate drove home lost in thought. Tyler fell asleep almost as soon as they pulled into traffic and she didn't have the heart to wake him when they got to her building. Carrying him inside was no easy feat as the boy was tall for his age and almost too heavy for her to carry. But he was her baby and she did it without even thinking twice. She put him in bed and went to take a shower. She needed to think. The hot water cascading on her body was soothing and she could feel the last remnants of her nightmare fading away. It had been a while since she had last had a nightmare that felt so real and she wanted to kick herself for having it at Rick's. Not that she had any control over it, but she shouldn't have stayed over at the loft in the first place.<p>

Damn it, this thing was so messed up. It shouldn't have to be so complicated, but their kids were already in the middle of it and they had to tread carefully. If it was just the two of them, they could just see where this could go and enjoy it while it lasted. But not with Tyler and Alexis already involved. She really didn't know how to go about it. When Tyler asked her why they had slept over at the loft, she had been at a loss of what to tell him for a moment. Because this wasn't normal. How could two people be so involved with one another so quickly? She knew it wasn't something impossible, she knew it existed, but she had never thought it could possibly happen to her. Was this what love at first sight felt like, if such thing existed?

But that was clearly a ridiculous thought because she was not in love with him. She was just strongly attracted to him and liked him as a friend as well. He was a great guy, a fantastic father and she really enjoyed his company. But love?_ No_. No way.

A couple of hours later, she drove Tyler to school and went to the precinct. It was still early and she had the bullpen mostly to herself. She loved to come in this early because it was always the best time to think with all the peace and quiet. She made her way to the break room to get some coffee and then stopped in front of her murder board, sipping the disgusting hot beverage. She should have stopped at Starbucks on her way in.

By ten in the morning, they had a solid lead and Ryan and Esposito went out to pick up a friend of the victim's to bring in for interrogation. Kate stayed behind, going over Lanie's report and the vic's records. She had noticed all morning that her fellow detectives and officers kept looking at her, pretending to be busy when she caught them looking. It was unnerving.

When noon rolled around, she decided she would take a break for lunch. Her stomach was already protesting as she had had breakfast way too early at the loft and never ate anything after that. She grabbed her coat and her purse, thinking she would just go across the street and grab a burger at Remy's. When the elevator doors opened, she was surprised to see Rick there.

"Hey." She said and he pulled her inside the elevator, the doors closing behind her. "What are you doing here? Is something wrong?" She asked, confused. He looked so nervous, running his hand through his hair.

"I have to show you something, but I promise it's already being taken care of." He finally said and she felt the knot in her stomach tighten.

"Rick, what is it?" she asked apprehensively.

He pulled out his IPad and showed it to her. She felt like someone had punched the air from her lungs as the pictures appeared in front of her.

She heard a distant ping from the elevator, signaling they had arrived at their destination and the doors opened behind them.

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><p><strong>AN: Tell me what you think?**


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: I feel completely redundant here, but all I have to say is thank you. Your support to this story has been utterly amazing. The sheer amount of alerts (not to count the reviews) is just about to surpass _Touch _(which was my first big story in the Castle fandom) and that's just mindblowing. You guys are amazing. I could not ask for better readers, really.**

**Okay, so the original plan for this chapter was for it to be much longer. But after a lot of debate (thank you so much, _beetlebug_ and _phoebsfan_, for putting up with my whining), I decided that this part should stand on its own. So I hope you like it and that you're still enjoying it.**

**Disclaimer: Not mine. But I'll return them all in one piece, I promise. **

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><p><strong>Someone Like You<strong>

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><p><strong>Chapter 9<strong>

"Please say something, Kate."

She heard his voice at the same time that she became aware that they were still standing inside the elevator and there were people looking at them strangely, waiting for them to get out, so they could get in. She closed her eyes for a second, taking a deep breath to try and steady her racing heart. When she opened them again, Rick was watching her with an apprehensive look.

"Let's get out of here first." She told him, her voice remarkably steady. He nodded and they stepped out of the elevator, walking towards the entrance of the precinct. They stood on the sidewalk, not really sure which direction they should take.

"Can you take a lunch break? We can drive somewhere, if you want. Somewhere more private." He suggested and she only nodded, her mind still trying to catch up at the sudden turn of events.

Of course things couldn't be easy. Nothing was ever easy in her life and the thought that she had finally found a nice guy who she could have possibly dove into a relationship with sounded entirely too good to be true. But then again, she wasn't going to solve anything by feeling sorry for herself. And if she was really honest here, she had caused this. She was the one who had kissed him; she was the one who had initiated all physical contact between them the day before.

So this was her fault.

They got into his car and Rick quickly drove them away from the precinct. It almost felt like they were fleeing the scene of a crime, which if you really thought about it, was kind of true. She was quiet for a long time, just watching the streets pass by the window, the snow banks slowly melting as the sun shone brightly overhead. It was still intensely cold and she now regretted leaving her scarf and leather gloves at the precinct. Her hands were freezing. Maybe this was what shock felt like, she thought, rubbing her hands together. She could feel Rick's eyes on her, but for now she needed to put her thoughts into some kind of order.

There was a picture of her on the internet. A picture of her kissing a celebrity. What the hell had she been thinking?

But that was exactly it, wasn't it? She hadn't been thinking. She cared about him, saw his pain and just reacted. It didn't even occur to her that they were in public and that someone could be taking their picture. Richard Castle was a hot topic right now. Recently divorced, new book skyrocketing on the market, already number 1 in the New York Times Best Sellers list. How could she have possibly forgotten about this entire aspect of his life?

She was brought back to reality as the car came to a standstill. She chanced a glance at Rick, but he was already out of the car and making his way to her side. Before she could even utter a word, he was opening her door, reaching out a hand in her direction. She looked at him for a moment, pondering just what could come out of whatever was about to happen between them. After a minute, she sighed and took his hand, getting out of the car. They were about a block away from one of the Central Park's entrances.

"Let's take a walk?" he asked quietly and she nodded, her cold hand reveling in the warmth of his skin. "Your hand is freezing, Kate." He commented and pulled her hand inside his coat pocket, lacing their fingers together. Kate hid her other hand in her own coat pocket.

They walked in silence until they reached Central Park. The sun was bright and reflecting on the white snow, giving her a slight headache. As they crossed into the park, Rick pulled her down a path that circled a lake. The scenery was beautiful and she wished they could be enjoying it under different circumstances.

"I'm sorry." She finally whispered after a good ten minutes of complete silence between them.

"About what?" he looked at her confused and they stopped their stroll around the lake.

"It's my fault. I was the one who kissed you in the first place." She looked away and sighed. "I keep forgetting you have a public image to maintain and I completely blew it."

"Kate… hey, look at me." He touched her chin gently and her eyes met his. It was amazing how intensely blue they were today. "If it's anyone's fault, it's mine. I've been doing this for a while now and I should be used to being careful about what I'm doing in public. But I completely forget about that when I'm with you. Yesterday? It didn't even occur to me that we were out in broad daylight. It just felt good, having you there with me. So good that I forgot about the damn paparazzi."

"But still, if I hadn't-"

"Do you regret it?" he interrupted her, his question catching her off guard.

"I… No, I don't think so." She swallowed hard and saw a tender smile appear on his lips.

"Then that's all that matters because you know I don't either." He pulled her slightly closer, until their chests were nearly touching and she felt her breath catch in her throat. "We'll just have to be more careful from now on."

"I'm not…" she sighed heavily, silently scolding herself for being so lousy with words. "I'm not sure I'm ready for this, though. I mean, we lead very different lives, Rick. The last thing I want is for a picture of mine to be public domain. I can't handle that."

She told him honestly and she really couldn't. Kate Beckett was an intensely private person and she valued that privacy a lot. She was not about to be thrown into the spotlight. And her job, how was she supposed to work and catch murderers when everybody knew who she was? And what scared her the most: she didn't want to be just another conquest in what was likely a long list in Richard Castle's life.

"That's why Gina is taking care of everything. She is working her ass off to take those pictures down and bury whatever story might be circulating about us. They don't know who you are, Kate. And if that's what you want, it will stay that way. They don't have to know." He touched her cheek, his thumb caressing her skin gently. "No one needs to know, if that's how you want it."

He leaned in and pressed a kiss to her cheek, then the other, his lips soft on her skin. Kate closed her eyes at his touch and felt his lips against hers next. He kissed her slowly, softly, and she couldn't help kissing him back. It was very reminiscent of the first kiss they shared only 24 hours before and, in the silence of the deserted, snowy Central Park, Kate felt her walls fading, one by one. His arms were now circling her waist, as her body molded against his. Her hands were trapped between their chests and she used them to pull him closer by the lapels of his coat.

"This is such a bad idea." She murmured when they pulled apart for air and tucked her head against his neck, placing a soft kiss to his skin.

"We'll make it work, I promise. But this?" he pulled her even closer, tightly against him. "I don't want to stop, Kate. I don't want to give this up." He kissed her neck and she finally wrapped her arms around him. "I can't. I told you, I can't walk away."

"I just don't want our kids to get caught up in this. I don't want them to get hurt." _I_ don't want to get hurt, she added in her mind.

"I can't promise that it's going to be perfect. We both know it won't. But I am never going to hurt you or Tyler intentionally, that much I can promise you."

Kate closed her eyes, wishing desperately she could believe him. But she had been burned once and it still hurt. With a sigh, she pulled away to look at him.

"We keep this between us. Let's see where it goes first, without involving the kids."

"Alright." He agreed, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.

"We take it slow. Are you okay with that?" she bit her lip and he smiled, kissing her concerned frown away.

"Absolutely." He beamed at her and she smiled back, excitement starting to bubble up inside of her. He kissed her again, backing her up against a nearby tree so they were mostly hidden from view.

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><p>"We should probably get going." She murmured after a few minutes. "I really have to get back to work."<p>

He let one of his hands fall to her waist while the other remained on the tree where he had been efficiently trapping her for the past few minutes. Wrapping an arm around her waist, he pulled her closer and kissed her one last time. Then, with a sigh, he stepped away.

"And making out in the middle of Central Park is probably not the best idea." He whispered, taking her hand in his.

"Probably not."

She smiled and bit her lip in apprehension and excitement. She wasn't sure which one she should focus on, but right now she was giddy about this new development between her and Rick and had a weird feeling in the pit of her stomach that she still hadn't figured out if it was good or bad.

"Have you had lunch yet?" he asked as they made their way back to the nearest entrance. Her hand was comfortably tucked in his, hidden away inside his pocket.

"No. I was about to go grab something to eat when you showed up. I'll just buy something on the way." She told him, casting a glance at him. He was surveying their surroundings, probably checking for any unwanted photographers.

"Are you sure? We can get something to eat. I haven't had lunch either. I was about to when Gina showed up and then I came straight to see you."

"That's okay. I'll just grab a burger at Remy's. And you know, the less we are seen in public together, the better." She offered him a small smile and he squeezed her hand.

"I promise it's not always this bad." He intertwined their fingers, his thumb gently caressing her skin. "There's just a lot going on right now with the book and all the signings and appearances. It'll get better."

"I know, it's just… this is a complete one-eighty from my life, you know? I doubt I'll ever get used to it, to the spotlight." She shook her head, pensively, and decided to change the subject before she chickened out on this whole thing. "So what are you planning for Alexis' birthday, anyway? You never finished telling me about it yesterday."

"We'll just have a small party for her at the loft. She invited a few friends from school, we're having cake, opening presents and that's about it. She doesn't want anything more than that." He shrugged, but she caught the sad, faraway look on his face. "You'll come, right? You and Ty?"

"Saturday, right?" she asked and he nodded. "Sure. I'm on call again this weekend, but even if I get called in, I'll drop Tyler off there, if that's okay with you."

"Of course it's okay. Alexis is going to love having Tyler there. It's amazing how fast they hit it off, isn't it?"

"It's amazing how fast _we_ hit it off, Rick. Not the kids." She laughed and he chuckled, nodding.

"True. But hey, at least it's something good. Right?"

He turned to look at her for confirmation, insecure. It was baffling how this famous, rich and attractive guy could feel insecure about her. It should be the other way around. She should be the insecure one. And to be honest, she was. In the back of her mind, there was a part of her that still screamed _bad idea_ about this whole thing. A relationship with a bestselling novelist, who just happened to be her favorite author? If she hadn't been standing right there, her hand in his, having just made out like teenagers behind a tree, she would have considered herself delusional. Completely and utterly crazy.

"Yeah, it's something good." She assured him and bumped her shoulder on his playfully. The smile that appeared on his lips made her want to kiss him again. "So what time should we drop by on Saturday?"

"Around 3, I guess." She nodded and rested her head on his shoulder for a moment. "Meredith says she's coming." He said quietly. Kate pulled away to look at him.

"Her mom?" She asked gently.

"Yeah. I haven't told Alexis yet. I don't want her to be disappointed when she doesn't show." He told her, a sad, frustrated tone to his voice.

"She's her mom. How can she not show up for her own daughter's birthday? She'll be there, Rick." She tried to reassure him, but he had already told her some of the actress' track record when it came to Alexis.

"You'd be surprised." He smiled sadly and opened the car door for her. "I just don't want her to ruin it. Alexis deserves a special birthday after everything, you know?" he said, settling behind the wheel. Kate took his hand and placed a comforting kiss on top of it.

As they drove back to the precinct, Kate tried to take his mind off of Alexis' mother impending visit by telling him about Tyler's science project that she had been working on with him and how her little boy was so excited. She was relieved when she managed to make him laugh and even offer some input on the project.

When Rick parked in front of Remy's, he turned to look at her and they were silent for a moment, each seemingly lost in their own thoughts. Kate sighed leaned in close to give him a quick kiss. Before she could pull away, though, his hand found its way to her hair and he held her in place, thoroughly kissing her. A couple of minutes later, when they pulled apart, she was breathless and was glad to see that she wasn't the only one. He grinned at her happily and pulled her in for another kiss, slower this time, gentler.

"I really love the fact that we can do this now." He murmured against her lips and she smiled. "Are you going to think it's creepy and weird if I tell you I wanted to do this since day one?"

She kissed him again, sucking on his bottom lip. "No." She told him with a grin. She had wanted him from day one too. Before that, even. But she was _not_ going to tell him that. "So, see you Saturday?"

"See you Saturday. Even if you get called in, come by later? I'll save you a piece of cake." He grinned and she laughed, shaking her head.

"You got it." She told him and he pulled her in for another breathtaking kiss. "Rick, I have to go. Really." He showered her face with butterfly kisses and she giggled. Honest to god _giggled_. It was embarrassing. "I'll call you later." She said when he finally released her and he smiled.

He looked so carefree when he smiled like that and she was the one causing that, she thought as she got out of the car, the butterflies tap dancing in her stomach.

She just hoped to god she didn't end up regretting this.

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><p><strong>AN: For the record, I have never been to Central Park (sadly), so everything came from my imagination and a bit of research. Anyway, love it, hate it? Should I keep going ot stop writing altogether? Tell me what you think.**


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: I know I had something to say here, but it's late and I'm exhausted and I need sleep. And this chapter got completely out of control. It's ridiculously long. So I'll just say thank you for your support. And I hope you enjoy it.**

**Disclaimer: Castle is not mine.**

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><p><strong>Someone Like You<strong>

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><p><strong>Chapter 10<strong>

"Do you think Lexi is going to like it?" Tyler asked Kate from the backseat.

It was Saturday afternoon and they were on their way to the loft for the party. He was holding onto Alexis' present, as if guarding it with his life. Alexis had told him that she really liked looking at the stars, so Tyler had the idea of giving her a telescope as a birthday present. Kate thought it was a really sweet and thoughtful gift and had called Rick to ask if that was something he was planning to buy for his little girl. He told her to go ahead, that Alexis would love it, so they had purchased the telescope this morning. It wasn't the fancy kind, but it was perfect for a kid to watch the stars up close for the first time.

Tyler was a little nervous about it and Kate smiled at him reassuringly through the rearview mirror.

"I'm sure she'll love it, sweetie. She did tell you she loves the stars, didn't she?" He nodded, looking down at the present resting on his lap. "There you go, then. Don't worry so much, my little gentleman." She teased him and managed to get a smile from him.

She parked the car about a block away from Rick's building and took the neatly wrapped box from Tyler's hands, who had been balancing it precariously with his casted arm. Locking the car behind her, they walked the rest of the way there discussing Tyler's presentation at the school science fair that would take place in the following week. He was really excited about building a volcano and it had been pretty much the only topic in his mind for the past week.

They entered the building and headed straight for the elevators after greeting Cesar, the doorman. Just as they were reaching the elevator area, Kate got a glimpse of a red haired woman boarding and called out for her to hold it for them. The woman either ignored them or didn't hear her, as the doors closed just as they stopped in front of the elevator. They waited patiently for the other one and soon enough were knocking on Rick's door.

Kate ran a hand through her hair and smoothed down her clothes, suddenly feeling nervous and self-conscious. The door opened, revealing a very excited Alexis; Rick was right behind her and Kate lifted an eyebrow, tilting her head slightly to the side in question at the strange look on his face.

"Ty, you came!" Alexis exclaimed happily. "Hi, Kate. I'm so glad you guys are here." Her smile was contagious and Kate grinned at her, giving Tyler the present so he could give it to his friend.

"Happy birthday, Lexi." He told her excitedly. "I hope you like it."

"Happy birthday, Lex." Kate pulled the girl in for a hug, kissing the top of her head.

"Thanks, guys. Come on, Ty. You'll never going to believe what dad got me for my birthday. It's so cool." She pulled the boy into the loft and Kate chuckled at their enthusiasm. Turning to Rick, she touched his arm, as he looked after his happy little girl.

"Hi." She said softly and he turned to face her, a smile finally gracing his lips.

"Hi." He leaned in and kissed her cheek, lingering for a moment longer than strictly necessary. "I'm so glad you're finally here." He confessed, taking her coat and Tyler's and putting them in the hall closet.

"Everything okay?" she asked quietly and he sighed.

"Meredith has just arrived." He said warily, nodding towards a red-haired woman talking on the phone and making herself at home in his kitchen, apparently preparing a drink. Kate recognized her as the woman who didn't hold the elevator for her a few minutes earlier.

"How did Alexis react?" she asked as they walked into the loft, his hand resting on the small of her back.

"Oh, she's thrilled, of course. It's not always that her mother makes it to her birthday, you know?" he gave her a wry smile. "I just hope she stays that way until the end of the party."

"Well, at least she kept her promise, right?" Kate offered and he shrugged.

In all honesty, she was appalled that a mother would treat her kid that way. She thought of her mom and how she had always been there for her and she couldn't even wrap her mind around the two glaringly different attitudes. She didn't think she was the best mother in the world, but her son was the single most important thing in her life. She couldn't even imagine not being right by his side every step of the way. With a sigh, she searched for her boy in the crowd of kids that had taken over the living room and found him next to Alexis as they were putting on some kind of gear.

"Laser tag." Rick told her and she turned to him. He was smiling happily at Alexis' excitement as she explained to Tyler how everything worked. "You should've seen the look on her face when I gave it to her this morning. I don't think I've ever seen a kid so excited."

"So that was the mysterious gift you wouldn't tell me about yesterday." She smiled at him and leaned against the kitchen island. He did the same, his arm brushing hers.

"I was still torn between that and an Xbox. In the end I got her the laser tag and bought the Xbox for me." He grinned boyishly at her and she laughed at his childish glee.

"You really are a kid trapped in an adult's body, aren't you?" she teased him and chuckled.

"You're going to love it, Kate. I know it." He nudged her side and she rolled her eyes.

"Who says I'm playing with you?" She smirked and he was about to respond when another red haired woman appeared in front of them.

"Oh, Richard, don't tell me that's Meredith over there." She sighed, shaking her head, and then looked at Kate, surprised. "Oh, hello there, dear. I'm sorry, didn't mean to interrupt." She said and Kate finally recognized who she was. Martha Rodgers, the actress.

_His mother. _

Oh, god.

"Yeah, she got here a few minutes ago. Alexis is happy, at least." He shrugged, a frown appearing on his face. "Anyway, mother, this is Kate Beckett. Kate, this is my mother, Martha Rodgers." He introduced them and Kate shook the woman's hand, trying to calm down her heart rate.

"Oh, so you're the famous Detective Beckett I've been hearing so much about. Tyler's mom, right?" the actress smiled at her warmly and Kate felt slightly more at ease.

"Yeah, that would be me. I don't know about the famous part, though." She said with a small smile. "It's really nice to meet you, Mrs. Rodgers."

"Darling, Mrs. Rodgers makes me feel so old. You call me Martha." She took a sip of the drink she was having. "And these two have been babbling about you and your boy for weeks now."

"Is that so, Mr. Castle?" She turned to Rick with a smirk and he grinned at her. "Just what exactly have you been telling your mom about me?"

"Just about how awesome you are, Kate." He smiled that boyishly grin that he already knew would disarm her.

"Right. You just think my job is awesome, not me." She deadpanned and Martha laughed. "I already told you, flattery will get you nowhere, pal."

"Oh, I like her already, Richard." She said and Kate smiled at her, relieved. Meeting his mother wasn't the total disaster she had thought it would be.

"Come on, detective. You know that's not true." He nudged her side again. "I think your kid is pretty cool too." He smirked at her and she rolled her eyes, turning to Martha.

"See what I have to put up with?" she said with a sigh. "My kid _is_ pretty cool, though." She added proudly.

"He is adorable. I met him the other night. Really smart too." She commented and Kate beamed. "Can I get you guys anything to drink?"

"That's okay, mom. I'll take care of it." He kissed Martha's cheek lovingly and Kate smiled at their interaction. "Kate?" He turned to her, questioningly.

"Just a Coke for now. I'm on call, remember?" she told him and saw Tyler running in her direction. He nodded and turned to his mother, who asked for another glass of champagne.

"Mom, look at this." He showed her the laser gun excitedly. "This is so cool. Lexi says we should play some other time. All four of us. We can even have teams. Kids against grownups. What do you think?" He smiled at her and she laughed. "Oh, hi, Mrs. Rodgers." He waved at Rick's mother.

"Hi, kiddo. Having fun?" She smiled at him and he nodded.

"Tons." He told her and turned back to Kate, expectantly. "Mom?"

"We'll see, kid." She brushed his hair away from his eyes. "You be careful with that arm, okay, Ty? Only two more weeks." She told him. "Let's not make it worse."

"Got it." She ruffled his hair and he went back to the other kids, gun ready to fire at his opponents.

"Your drinks, my beautiful ladies." Rick handed their respective glasses and they smiled their thanks. He leaned against the island beside Kate, closer than before as their arms were now pressed together.

"You created a little monster over there with that laser tag gear, you know." Kate said after taking a sip of her Coke. "He's going to be talking about it for days now." She shook her head with a smile.

"You know what, I challenge you to a duel later." He wiggled his eyebrows at her with a grin and she laughed.

"I'll think about it, you overgrown child." She teased and involuntarily leaned against his side.

"It'll be fun, Kate. Come on, please?" He pouted at her and she rolled her eyes. Martha smiled at their banter. "What?" he asked his mother when he caught her smiling.

"Nothing, darling. You kids have fun. I am going to socialize." She told them and walked away.

Rick and Kate looked at each other after her sudden departure and shrugged. He put his arm behind her on the island, his fingers casually caressing her side.

"So how are you doing? I hadn't seen you in two whole days." He said after a couple of minutes.

"I'm good. Glad that I could sleep in today. How about you?" She asked, acutely aware of his touch.

"I'm happy that she's happy." He smiled, nodding at Alexis running around with her friends. "By the way, looks like the media didn't make a big deal out of those pictures, so I think we're safe for now."

"Thank god." She sighed, relieved. "We've learned our lesson, though, right?" She looked at him and he nodded.

"No more making out in public." He said quietly and she chuckled. "Have I told you how great you look today?" he whispered in her ear and she closed her eyes for a moment as a delicious shiver ran through her body.

"Thanks. You look pretty sharp yourself, Mr. Castle." She smiled at him and resisted the urge to lean in and kiss him.

"Rick, just what the hell are those kids playing with?" A female voice interrupted their moment and Kate heard Rick sigh heavily.

"That's Alexis' birthday present. It's laser tag." He told her, his voice strained.

"Oh. I don't think that's a suitable gift for a girl, do you?" she told him, running her perfectly manicured hands through her hair.

"She loved it as you can see, so I don't think that really matters." Kate watched their pseudo argument like a tennis match and touched Rick's arm discreetly when she saw his temper was threatening to get the best of him. He looked at her and took a deep breath, trying to keep his anger in check. "Kate, this is Meredith, Alexis' mother. Meredith, this is Kate Beckett."

"Nice to meet you." Kate said politely and offered her hand. Meredith shook it, looking like she'd rather be touching anything but her.

"Likewise. Who are you exactly?" she raised an eyebrow in Kate's direction, who looked at Rick for a moment. He shook his head slightly.

"My son, Tyler, is really good friends with Alexis." She explained, wondering how could someone be this rude to a person they had just met.

"Why didn't you just drop him off like most of the other parents? I'm sure you have better things to do than sticking around for a kid's birthday party." Meredith commented and didn't even blink when Rick glared at her.

"Because she is my guest here, Meredith. Kate happens to be a really close friend." He almost growled at her and Kate squeezed his arm.

"I see." The red head said slowly looking from Kate to Rick. Before anyone could say anything more, Kate's phone rang.

"Excuse me." She said quietly and walked away to answer it, but not before hearing Meredith asking him if he was banging her. Closing her eyes, Kate took a deep breath, trying to convince herself that tackling the woman to the ground was not a good idea. "Beckett."

"Hey, Becks. We got a fresh one. Park Avenue and East 23rd." Ryan told her. He had gotten into the habit of calling her Becks in the past few weeks and, while it had annoyed her at first, now she thought it was sweet.

"I can never get an entire weekend off, can I?" She complained and he chuckled. "I'll see you there. ETA twenty minutes. Go ahead and start without me. I'll be there soon."

"You got it. See you soon." He said and hung up. She sighed and walked back to where Rick and Meredith were having a glaring match.

"I have to go." She told him and he looked at her crestfallen.

"You're kidding." He almost pleaded with her and she shook her head.

"I'm sorry. We just got a new case." She turned to Meredith. "It was nice meeting you." She nodded at the woman. Rick sighed.

"Let's get your coat and I'll walk you out." He said and guided her to the closet near the front door. She collected her coat and put it on, and then grabbed her purse. Calling Tyler over, she explained to him she needed to go to work.

"Is it okay if I come pick him up later?" She asked Rick, who nodded.

"Of course it is, Kate. You don't even have to ask." He reassured her and she kissed her son goodbye. They made their way outside and he leaned against the wall. "This sucks." He confessed and she nodded.

"I'll come back later tonight. Depending on the time, maybe we can have dinner?" she suggested and he agreed, pulling her against him. She went willingly, pressing her lips to his neck as his arms encircled her waist.

"I'm sorry she was such a bitch to you." He murmured into her hair and Kate shook her head, pulling away slightly to look at him.

"Wasn't your fault." She told him and leaned in for a kiss. He met her halfway, their kiss chaste. "I'll see you later. Hang in there." She encouraged and he let out a laugh, pulling her in for another kiss, this time allowing their tongues to play briefly.

"Go kick some ass." He told her with a small smile and she chuckled, pressing one last kiss to his lips and making her way to the elevator.

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><p>"So how serious are you and this writer guy?" Esposito asked her as they were leaving the precinct for the night. Kate looked at him and his partner and rolled her eyes.<p>

"I don't think it's any of your business, Esposito." She told him, but with a light, teasing tone in her voice.

"Come on, Becks. We're just looking out for you." Ryan reasoned and she narrowed her eyes at him. "Do we have to have that talk with him? Tell him if he ever hurts you, his body will never be found?"

Kate laughed at this. However little respect they had for her private life, Ryan and Esposito were the brothers she never had and the fact that they looked out for her like this was really sweet. She looked at the two detectives, who were eyeing her expectantly and pursed her lips.

"This doesn't have anything to do with a bet that is going on at the precinct, does it?" She asked them and they held her gaze innocently.

"Of course not. We're just looking out for our favorite boss, that's all." Esposito grinned and she shook her head, smiling.

"No comment, guys. Good night." She replied and unlocked her car, throwing her purse in the passenger seat. "And for the love of god, let me sleep in tomorrow morning. Thank goodness this was an easy one."

"You got it, boss. Tell Tyler we said hey." Ryan said and they wished her a goodnight before walking off to find their own cars.

Kate sighed and started her car, driving in the direction of the loft. She had already texted Rick, saying she would be there soon. He said he would be waiting with dinner ready for her. Her stomach growled at the thought. It was close to 9pm and she hadn't had anything to eat since lunch. She never had a chance to eat anything at Alexis' party before getting called in and they had been so busy with interrogating the suspect, getting a confession, booking him and the whole shebang that she forgot to eat. Now that she was officially off duty, her stomach protested the lack of sustenance.

The traffic was surprisingly light for a Saturday night and soon she was parking a couple of blocks away from Rick's building. Snow was falling lightly around her as she pulled her coat closer to her body in attempt to get warmer. Being late January in New York City, it was still intensely cold. She entered the building, waving to Cesar, and made her way to the elevator area. She immediately remembered she had been here earlier today with Tyler and how Meredith hadn't held off the elevator for her. With dread gnawing away at the pit of her stomach, she wondered if the actress would still be there and what she would do if that were the case. The last thing she wanted was to make small talk with the incredibly obnoxious woman.

Stepping out of the elevator, she quickly walked to Rick's door and knocked. She heard footsteps coming to the door and smiled when it opened, revealing Rick dressed in jeans, a dark blue NYU hoodie and socks. He looked adorable and hot at the same time.

"She finally left." He told her tiredly and Kate sighed in relief, biting her lip. "Hi." He gave her a small smile and she reached out and squeezed his hand.

"Hey." She greeted him and he pulled her into his arms. "Are you okay?" She asked, looking around to check if they were alone.

"I just want her to leave. She's done enough damage already. But she said she's going to a hotel and then coming back here tomorrow." He buried his face in her hair and breathed her in. "I'm just glad you're here now. Come on." He took her hand and led her to the kitchen. "Are you hungry?"

"Starving." She responded as he opened the fridge and offered her a beer, which she accepted gratefully. "Did everything go okay with the party?"

"For the most part. The kids are in the office with my mother trying to see the stars with the telescope. Alexis loved it, by the way. Thank you for that." He smiled at her and she nodded, smiling back.

"I'm glad she did. Tyler was super nervous about it, thinking she wouldn't like it." She told him and he chuckled.

"He shouldn't have worried. That girl loves her stars and the moon and the planets." He took a sip of his beer. "Help me set the table? We already ate, but I saved you some."

"No need to set the table just for me, Rick." She tried to dismiss the idea, but he just shook his head and handed her the plate and silverware. She rolled her eyes and set them on the table as he brought the chicken alfredo and set it in front of her.

"Dig in, detective."

He sat down across from her and she smiled at him in thanks, sitting at the table. As she ate, he asked her about the case she had caught and she told him all about it, how it had been an easy pop and drop. The suspect had still been lingering near the crime scene with blood on his clothes and getting a confession out of him had been the fastest part. He listened interestedly and she found herself wondering how she had gotten there with this incredibly famous, successful writer hanging onto her words like what she had to say was the most fascinating thing in the world.

She finished her dinner and insisted on doing the dishes. After a lot of debate, he gave in and went to the living room to pick out a movie for them to watch. Tyler showed up and she kissed him hello, asking if he had behaved himself. He told her all about the laser tag and how Alexis had loved the telescope. Martha soon appeared as well, saying she was late for a rendezvous and wished them a good night.

"Hey, we're all set. Just waiting for you." Rick rubbed her shoulders and she relaxed into him for a moment, before remembering Tyler was there with them, and stepping away slightly.

"I'm just about done here. Where's Alexis?" she asked, not seeing the red haired girl anywhere.

"I think she's still in the office." Tyler supplied, walking towards the living room. Rick started walking in the office's direction, but Kate stopped him with a hand on his arm.

"I am going to the restroom for a minute, so I'll get her." She said and he nodded, looking behind him to make sure Tyler was distracted, before stealing a kiss from her.

"Missed you today." He murmured against her lips and she smiled.

"Missed you too." She gave him a quick peck on the lips and pulled away. "I'll be right back."

She went to the small restroom that was near his office and took a moment to freshen up. Looking at her reflection in the mirror, she realized that for the first time in a while, she actually looked happy. She still looked tired and overworked, but she had a sparkle in her eyes, which was something she hadn't seen in herself in a really long time. And Rick had done that. In a little over two weeks, he managed to turn her life around completely. How had that even happened? In fact, the most important question was how had she allowed it to happen? Kate was a really closed off person and the fact that Rick got her to open up and allow herself to live in the moment, to enjoy the thrill of a new relationship was nothing short of amazing.

Running a hand through her hair, she opened the door and made her way to the office, where she found Alexis sitting in the window seat, looking at the snow falling outside. Kate stopped on the threshold for a moment, looking at the young girl. She formed a beautiful picture with her flaming red hair and white sweater. She felt sorry for her for not having a stable mother figure in her life. At that moment, her heart ached for her and for herself as she missed her own mother so much.

"Hey, Lex." She greeted the girl, who turned around startled. Only then, Kate realized she had been crying. "Sweetie, what's wrong?" She entered the office and made her way to Alexis, who was now hastily wiping her tears away.

"It's nothing, Kate. I'm fine." She whispered, but even as she spoke, a fresh bout of tears escaped her eyes.

"That doesn't look like nothing, Lex. What happened? Are you hurt?" she asked gently, rubbing soothing circles on her back. "Do you want me to go get your dad?"

"No, don't." she exclaimed, grabbing Kate's hand. "Don't. I'm fine. I don't want him to see me like this." She wiped her tears away again and took a deep, shuddering breath.

"Is there anything I can do to help?" Kate sat down next to her and brushed her bangs away from her eyes.

"Only if you can get me a new mom." She murmured and Kate's breath caught. "No, I shouldn't say that. That's mean." Alexis mumbled to herself and Kate felt lost.

"What happened, sweetie?" she asked again and Alexis sighed.

"We were having dinner and mom said she had brought the most amazing dessert." She rested her head on the window in front of her and closed her eyes. "I was excited because mom never comes to these things. Or when she comes, she never stays long and this time she stayed all the way through dinner, you know?" she turned her head slightly to look at Kate, who nodded, encouraging her to continue. "So when we finished eating, she brought out the dessert. It was a strawberry cheesecake. I'm allergic to strawberries. I was with her when I had my first allergic reaction. We had to go to the hospital cause I couldn't breathe. How could she not remember?" she got the last few words out forcefully, through her tears. "I'm her daughter. Daddy would never forget something like that."

"Oh, honey, it probably just slipped her mind." She pulled Alexis into her arms and the girl came willingly, hiding her face on Kate's shoulder. Her heart broke for her as she let her cry.

"It's not just that. She gave me this doll and I haven't played with dolls since I was like three. I've never liked dolls, but she insists on giving me one every year, even when I tell her I don't like playing with them." She sighed heavily, pulling away to look at Kate. "She doesn't call for months. I was in the hospital last year and she stayed for one day. I keep thinking she's just too busy making movies, but in the end I think the truth is she just doesn't like me much." She wiped a fresh tear running down her cheek angrily. "And I don't know what I did to make her feel that way."

Kate took a deep breath and kissed Alexis' temple, hugging her tight. She didn't know what to say to her, didn't know how to comfort her.

"Listen to me, Lex." She ran her fingers through her red hair gently. "No matter what, you have a daddy who loves you very, very much and would do anything in the world to see you happy. I don't know your mom, so I don't know why she's like that. But I want you to remember that you have an amazing father and grandmother and you mean the world to them. Okay?" She touched Alexis' cheek when she looked up at her and the girl nodded, sniffling.

"Are you close to your mom, Kate?" she asked quietly and Kate felt like her heart was being squeezed by a very tight fist. It hurt so much to talk about her mom, but Alexis needed it.

"I was. Very close. She was my best friend." She whispered and Alexis looked at her questioningly. "We lost her a little over ten years ago." She offered the girl a sad smile and she rested her head on Kate's shoulder.

"I'm sorry. Did you love her very much?" Her voice was so quiet that if they hadn't been alone in the silent office, she wouldn't have heard.

"I did. I do. She was the best mom in the world. I miss her every single day." Kate confided and Alexis took her hand, giving it a comforting squeeze.

"I wish my mom was like that." She murmured and yawned, snuggling closer to Kate.

They were silent for a few minutes, Kate running her hand through her red hair until she heard her breath even out. Looking down at her, Kate confirmed she had fallen asleep and sighed, resting her head against the window. After a moment, she looked up and her eyes met Rick's across the room as he stood by the door, looking at her with an expression she couldn't quite identify. She gave him a small, sad smile and he entered the office, making his way to them.

"How long have you been there?" she asked quietly when he leaned down to press his lips to hers gently.

"A while." He looked at his sleeping little girl and sighed, touching her cheek lovingly. Alexis stirred and looked up at him sleepily.

"Daddy?"

"Hi, pumpkin. Let's get you to bed." He picked her up, holding her close. Kate stood up and started to make her way to the door. "Kate, don't go. I'll be right back. Tyler dozed off on the couch while we were waiting for you, don't worry."

Kate nodded and watched him leave the room with his daughter, her heart warm when she heard him murmur his love to the sleeping child in his arms. She sighed and leaned back against the wall, waiting for him to return. Her mind was spinning and her heart aching for Alexis. How could someone not care about this fantastic little girl? It was beyond her why Meredith didn't even try to be a good mother and all Alexis wanted was to have her mom there for her. The whole thing was so wrong that she felt tears stinging her eyes. It was just not fair. She missed her mom dearly and wished every day she could still have her, but at least she did have her mom for twenty one years. Her mother had always been the best mom in the world for her. Alexis had a mom, who couldn't care less about her own child. That was probably a whole new level of pain and abandonment. It hurt her and she was thirty-two years old. Alexis was barely eight. That kind of pain was probably insurmountable for a little girl like that.

Footsteps coming down the hall interrupted her thoughts. Rick entered the office again and immediately pulled her into his arms, kissing her fiercely.

"You are amazing." He told her when they pulled apart for oxygen. "I don't know what I did to deserve you." He rested his forehead on hers and took a deep breath. "I can't stand to see her like that, Kate."

"At least she has you." She murmured, her fingers playing absentmindedly to the hairs on the back of his neck. "You're an amazing dad to that little girl. Don't ever forget that. No matter what, she will always have you, right?"

"Always, yes." He closed his eyes and swallowed hard. "Thank you so much for entering my life." He pressed his lips to hers one more time. "So much, Kate. I am so glad we found you." He confessed and she felt those butterflies in her stomach again, but they were dulled by the pain she felt for Alexis, for Rick, for her mother.

She kissed his neck gently and breathed him in, pulling him closer to her. They stayed there for a while, taking comfort in each other's presence. His body was warm and comfortable against hers and felt so familiar. _He_ felt so familiar, like they had been doing this for years, she thought with a sigh.

In the end, she was really glad they had entered her life too.

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><p><strong>AN: Thoughts?**


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N: Have I mentioned how much I love you guys? Because I really do. Your support has been nothing short of amazing. Thank you so much for that. I want to thank FanficwriterGHC in particular for the most encouraging message I've ever gotten. Emma, you are a star. Seriously.**

**Anyway, I'm not sure I'm completely satisfied with this chapter, but it was something that had to be dealt with eventually. Hope you guys like it.**

**Disclaimer: Don't own Castle.**

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><p><strong>Someone Like You<strong>

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><p><strong>Chapter 11<strong>

They remained in the office for a few more minutes, just enjoying each other's warmth and whatever that feeling bubbling up inside her was. After a while, Kate sighed and checked her watch. It was still early, just past 9:30pm and if all went according to plan, she would have the day off tomorrow. Leaning in, she pressed a kiss to his jaw and pulled on his hand so they could walk back to the living room.

Tyler was sprawled out on the couch fast asleep, much like he usually was at home, and Kate let out a quiet chuckle at her son's amazing adaptability. Sitting down next to him, she leaned down and kissed his messy brown hair. He was the best thing that had ever happened to her and she would do anything in her power to protect him from any harm. Her heart still ached for Alexis, but she was glad that the little girl had her dad and she knew she was Rick's entire world.

Sitting up straighter, she leaned back, resting her head on the back of the couch, her hand lingering on her boy's back. She felt Rick sit down next to her and her body involuntarily gravitated to the warmth of his. His arm fell around her shoulders and pulled her closer. Kate sighed, relaxing further into him.

"You okay?" His voice was quiet in her ear and she closed her eyes, nodding.

"You?" she asked, pulling Tyler's feet over her legs so she could sit more comfortably, but not sever the connection with her son. She needed to be near him right now.

"I'll be fine." He murmured into her hair and she knew that however much he had overheard from her conversation with Alexis, it had shaken him. Seeing your child in pain always had that effect.

"She'll be okay, Rick." She took the hand that was drawing circles on her thigh and entwined their fingers.

"I know, I just…" he sighed heavily and kissed her hair. "Thank you for talking to her, for comforting her. She had never told me any of that. I knew it hurt her, but she never said anything."

"You don't have to thank me. I have a bit of knowledge on the 'I just want my mom' front, although my reasons are wildly different from hers." She said quietly, hoping he would leave it alone, but knowing he wouldn't.

"You told her you lost your mom, right?" he asked gently, his fingers soothingly running up and down her arm. Kate swallowed hard, not sure if she was ready for this, but not seeing a way out. She stalled for a few seconds, looking around the room. The lights were dimmed and she was glad for that. He wouldn't be able to see much of her in the near darkness.

"Ten years ago, yeah." She whispered, eyes closed, breathing in and out to keep her voice from shaking. "She was murdered."

"Oh, Kate, I'm so sorry." She felt him hug her tighter and turned her head to bury her face into his neck, seeking comfort.

"They never caught who did it." Her voice shook slightly and she swallowed hard, willing the knot in her throat to dissolve. "You asked me the other night why I became a cop."

"That's why?" he turned to place a kiss on her forehead. His fingers squeezed hers comfortingly and she nodded.

"I was determined to catch him. I had to find out who took her away from me, from my dad. I had to punish him. I had to because my mother deserved justice. My family deserved justice." She whispered harshly, forcing back the tears that were burning behind her eyes. "But then I got pregnant." She took a deep, fortifying breath, his scent comforting her. The warmth of her son's body under her hand gave her strength to keep talking. "I was in a bad place then. Josh, Tyler's father, just made everything worse by falling off the face of the Earth. My pregnancy was hell. My dad… he took my mom's death hard, turned to alcohol."

"Is he still…?" Rick asked quietly, hesitantly and she shook her head, pulling away to look at him.

"He has been sober for five years now, but it was really hard for a while." She sighed and he reached out to her, brushing her tears away with his thumb. She hadn't even realized she had been crying. "But then Tyler barged into my life and became my world. I had to take care of him because he was this tiny little baby and I had to protect him. He gave me back my life, my sanity. I don't know what would've happened if he didn't exist because my life was spiraling out of control before him, Rick. He grounded me to reality."

"How old were you?"

"When mom died?" she asked, leaning into his touch, and he nodded. "Twenty one. Tyler was born two years after that." She told him and leaned back against him, needing to feel his warm body pressed to hers again. He immediately wrapped his arms around her, his chin resting on the top of her head. She felt him press a kiss to her hair and sigh heavily. They were silent for a moment.

"I can't…" He broke the silence after a couple of minutes. "I can't even imagine how hard that must've been, Kate. Can't even… God, you're the strongest person I know." He whispered, his voice laced with emotion. "Going through all that and yet you're still here… and you've got an amazing little boy, who is completely devoted to you."

He pulled away slightly and touched her chin, making her look up at him. She closed her eyes, not able to stand the feelings that were shining on his eyes. If she looked into his eyes, she was going to lose it and she couldn't. Not now, not in front of him. Not with Tyler so close.

"You should hear him talking about you, Kate. He's so proud to be your kid and he loves you so much." He leaned in and kissed each of her tear stained cheeks. "Your mom would be so proud of who you are today." He whispered before pressing his lips to hers.

She felt another tear escape and pulled away, only to hide her face in his chest. He let her cry for a few minutes, running gentle circles on her back and whispering soothing words in her ear. When she finally felt she was in control of her emotions again, she looked up at him and hugged him tightly. "Thank you." She whispered in his ear, pressing her lips to his neck gently. He just nodded and held her closer. She didn't know what she had done to deserve him, but at that moment she thanked whatever higher power had intervened in her behalf.

"Still want to watch that movie?" he asked quietly after a few minutes and she nodded, smiling a little.

"Popcorn?" he grinned slightly at her and she reached out, brushing his hair away from his forehead, her hand lingering on his cheek afterwards.

"Sure." She told him and he kissed her hand before making his way to the kitchen.

Kate sighed and sat back on the couch, closing her eyes for a moment. She had told him. _Everything_. The only ones who knew about that time of her life – apart from her father – were Lanie and the boys and that was only because they had been there with her, supporting her through every step of the way.

She felt strangely lighter now that she had told him and tried not to dwell on what that could possibly mean. He made her feel so good and comfortable that she had known this was going to happen eventually, especially with how fast they were progressing. She still hadn't even wrapped her mind around the fact that she was in a relationship with Richard Castle. But to be honest, she didn't even know exactly what they were. They hadn't put a label on it, but he seemed to be in it for real. She just hoped she wasn't making a big mistake here, like she did with Josh.

"Mom?" Her eyes snapped open at her son's voice and she looked down at him.

"Hi, sweetie. Come here." She reached her hand out and he immediately took it, using it to pull himself up. "You okay?" she asked when he was comfortably tucked into her side, her arm around his shoulders.

"Were you crying?" he reached up and touched her cheek, following a tear track with his finger.

"It's nothing, baby. Rick and I were just talking about something sad, that's all. We were going to watch a movie now. Is that okay?" she kissed his forehead after brushing his hair away. He nodded, snuggling closer to her, his little arm hugging her waist.

"Where's Lexi?" he asked, trying to stifle a yawn unsuccessfully.

"She fell asleep right after you did, buddy." Rick said, handing a bowl of popcorn to Kate.

"Oh." He reached into the bowl and popped some into his mouth, but couldn't hide his disappointment.

"We can go home if you want." Kate offered, but he shook his head.

"Let's watch a movie." He smiled at her and ate some more.

Rick put on a dvd and sat back down next to Kate, his arm resting on the back of the couch. As was becoming the norm with them, she soon leaned into him and his arm fell to her shoulders. Tyler fell asleep again barely twenty minutes into the movie and Kate smiled at her sleeping little boy. Pressing a kiss to his hair, she held him close, his body reassuringly warm pressed against her side. She turned her head and found Rick watching her with a wistful smile. Pressing her lips to his for a moment, she rested her head on his shoulder as her hand traced circles on his thigh absentmindedly.

In that moment right there she wished she could freeze time.

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><p>Kate woke up after 9am the next morning. She stretched her body lazily, refusing to get out of bed just yet. It was cold and her comforter had created this remarkable cocoon of warmth. She heard the door open slowly and then little footsteps making their way toward her bed, followed by someone climbing onto it, slipping under the covers. She smiled at her son's clearly lack of ninja skills and waited for his head to pop up next to hers on the pillow.<p>

"Well, hello there, my little ninja." She kissed his nose and he giggled, throwing an arm around her stomach to get as close to her as possible.

"It's cold." Tyler mumbled, rubbing his cheek sleepily on her shoulder. She kissed his forehead, smiling.

"Do you want breakfast?" She asked and he shook his head, yawning. "Do you want to sleep some more?" She tried again and he nodded, throwing his leg over hers.

"Night, mom." He murmured and was soon asleep again. Kate chuckled and kissed his forehead again, allowing herself to just enjoy her little boy's presence. It wasn't always that they had a chance to sleep in together since she was usually up at the crack of dawn to go to work.

She eventually fell asleep to the sound of her son's steady breathing. When she woke up again it was almost 11 and she was surprised to have slept so late. Tyler was no longer in her bed, but she could hear the TV in the living room, indicating that he was probably watching his precious cartoons. She stretched again, this time sitting up in bed with a yawn. It had been a while since she had slept in this late, but she didn't regret it. She had been exhausted and clearly in need of some much needed sleep.

Getting out of bed, she threw on her old NYU sweater and padded out of the room, looking for Tyler. Just as she had imagined, he was camped out in front of the TV, a bowl of cereal already empty on the coffee table. She walked around the couch and leaned down to kiss his cheek.

"Morning, Ty." She ruffled his hair and he smiled up at her. "I see you made breakfast already, young man." She looked confused at the kitchen table and found toast, jam and orange juice already laid out for her. Tyler shrugged.

"I was already making myself breakfast, just thought I'd make you something too." He said casually and Kate narrowed her eyes at him. "You were crying last night, mom. I don't like to see you sad, so I thought I'd make you something nice." He admitted and she beamed at him, touched.

Walking around to the front of the couch, she picked him up and hugged him tightly, showering his face with kisses. Tyler tried to get away, giggling.

"You are the sweetest little guy ever." She pointed each word with a kiss and felt him wrap his arms around her neck and his legs on her waist.

"I just don't want you to be sad. You've been so happy lately." He pulled away to look at her and she kissed his nose, making him crinkle it with a giggle. "Mom!" he whined and she put him down.

"I'm happy because you are the best kid in the world, Tyler, and you make me the happiest mom." She smiled at him and he grinned back. "Thanks for making me breakfast, squirt."

She ruffled his hair and walked to the kitchen. After eating everything her boy had made her, she joined him on the couch and thought they should just veg there for a little while. She didn't have a case, it was too cold to go out and this was the most perfect her life could get.

They had gotten home late last night as she and Rick had watched two movies, just enjoying each other. Tyler had fallen asleep and Rick had put him in the guest room so he could be more comfortable and they could enjoy being together. Not that they had been fervently making out or about to get down and dirty (although Kate was really looking forward to that part), but being alone gave them the freedom of touching each other a lot more.

Around 1am, Kate decided to call it a night and despite Rick's offer for them to stay the night, she didn't want a repeat of the other day with Tyler asking questions she herself didn't know the answers to. Besides, Meredith was supposed to come back to the loft this morning and the last thing she wanted was another unpleasant encounter with the woman, especially having heard how neglectful she was with Alexis.

Now as she lounged around with her kid, she felt pretty damn good about her life for the first time in a really long time. Tyler was right; she _was_ happier, had been for the past couple of weeks since Rick had unceremoniously barged into her life.

She was starting to think of what she should do for lunch, when her phone rang in her room. She made her way to her bedroom, praying that it wasn't one of the boys calling her in for another case. Grabbing her phone from her nightstand, she sighed in relief when she saw Rick's name flashing as the incoming call.

"Hey." She answered, a smile already forming on her lips. This is getting ridiculous, she thought rolling her eyes at her immediate reaction at the sound of his voice.

"Morning." He said and she could practically hear the smile in his voice. "Are you busy?"

"Not really. Ty and I are just lazing around today. Why?"

"Well," he started with a sigh. "Meredith just came over to pick up Alexis to take her out to go shopping and have lunch."

"Oh. How was she? Alexis, I mean. Was she feeling better?" Kate asked, concerned.

"I think so, yeah. She asked about you, when we're going to see you again." He told her and Kate bit her lip, nervously.

"Oh." She was quiet for a moment. "Is that a good thing? I mean…" The girl was getting attached to her, she could feel it. This was becoming more and more complicated between them.

"It is, don't worry. She could use a good female role model to look up to, Kate, and you're… well, you're pretty awesome." He said warmly and she chuckled.

"Thanks, I guess." She bit her lip again and sighed. Was it bad that she already missed him? It was, wasn't it?

"Anyway, I was wondering if you guys wanted to do something? I've been ditched by my daughter and my mother. You're my only hope." He said dramatically and Kate laughed.

"So basically what you're saying is that I'm your last choice?" she teased and he groaned.

"You know that's not what I meant, Kate." He complained and she laughed again.

"I know, you big baby. I'm just messing with you." She reassured him as she made her way back to the kitchen and looked in the fridge, searching for potential lunch ingredients.

"So… wanna hang out?" he asked after a moment in silence.

"Sure, do you want to come over?" she invited and he immediately agreed. Making plans to see each other in half an hour, they hung up and Kate decided it was probably a good time to take a shower and make herself presentable. "Hey, Ty?" The boy looked up at her. "Rick is coming over for lunch since Alexis is out with her mom. Is that okay?"

"Is Lexi coming over later?"

"I don't know, sweetie. Maybe." She leaned down and kissed the top of his head. "I'm going to go take a shower real quick. Yell if you need me, alright?" She told him and he nodded, never taking his eyes away from the TV.

Kate chuckled and made her way to the bathroom. After a quick shower, she stood in her room with a towel wrapped around her body, trying to decide what to wear. They were staying in so she could go for something a little more casual, right? Finally deciding on jeans and a dark green sweater, she put them on, just in time to hear the doorbell ring. Confused, she checked her phone for the time and sure enough, not even twenty minutes had passed yet.

She walked out into the living room and found her son greeting Lanie.

_Great._

"Mom, Aunt Lanie is here." Tyler called out as she made her way to the door to greet her friend.

"Hey, girl." Lanie smiled at her and Kate smiled back, thinking just what she was going to do now that Rick was also coming over.

"Hey. Did we have any plans for today?" Kate asked, giving her a hug.

"Not really. But we talked about maybe grabbing some lunch this weekend?" She shrugged as Tyler led them back into the living room. "I didn't have anything going on today so I thought I'd stop by. Why, did you have any plans?" she asked and Kate shook her head before the doorbell rang again.

"Ty, why don't you get Aunt Lanie something to drink?" She suggested and the boy nodded taking Lanie's hand and dragging her to the kitchen, babbling on about his science project. Kate went to get the door and found Rick smiling, holding a plastic bag with something that smelled delicious. "Hi." She said softly, stepping out into the hallway. "We have company." She told him and bit her lip.

"Who?" he asked curiously, trying to peek at the slightly open door behind her.

"My friend Lanie just showed up. Is that okay with you? Because she can be…" she tried to say, but he silenced her with a kiss. Kate smiled against his lips. "She was the one who thought you were hotter in person." She chuckled and pressed her lips to his again.

"All the more reason for me to meet her." He grinned at her and she slapped his arm. "Kidding, detective. Just kidding. You know I only have eyes for you." He winked at her and she rolled her eyes.

"Just…" she sighed. "Don't let her ask too many questions? Cause that woman can get anything she wants out of people."

"Don't worry about it." He kissed her lips again and Kate turned around, opening the door and allowing them inside. "I brought Chinese, by the way. Have you guys eaten yet?"

"No, that's perfect. I was just trying to figure out what to do for lunch." She squeezed his hand and took the bag from him, placing the containers on the kitchen table.

"Hi, Rick." Tyler greeted him, holding out his hand for a high five, which Rick immediately obliged.

"How are you doing, my man?" he asked as Kate looked at them with a smile. Tyler started telling him about how he had to see the volcano he was making. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Lanie looking at the scene in her kitchen interestedly.

"Lanie, this is Rick Castle." She introduced, trying to avoid her friend's knowing look. "Rick, this is my friend Lanie Parish. She is a medical examiner."

"Wow, really? That is so cool." Rick said excitedly and Kate rolled her eyes.

"Only you two would think hanging around with dead people is exciting." She deadpanned and Rick nudged her side playfully.

"I still think your job is pretty awesome too, detective." He gave her that ridiculously cute boyish grin and she tried to fight a smile.

"Shut up." She elbowed his side lightly.

"Anyway, nice to meet you, Lanie. Can I call you Lanie?" He was very charming, she would give him that.

"Sure. It's great to finally meet you too, Rick. I've heard a lot about you." Lanie grinned and Kate groaned inwardly.

"Really?" Rick said slowly, his eyes sparkling with mischief, as Kate glared at her friend.

Those two together was such a bad idea, she thought as she set the table.

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><p>After lunch, they lounged around in the living room, talking. Tyler turned on the TV as Lanie and Kate took turns in telling stories about the precinct and some of the most hilarious cases they had worked on together. Lanie sat on a chair off to the side while Rick and Kate stayed on the couch with Tyler. As the conversation wore on, Kate found herself leaning against him, as they had gotten so used to. She only realized what they were doing when she felt him kissing her temple and Lanie's interested gaze upon them. Knowing it was useless to try to hide anything now, she relaxed into him with a sigh.<p>

A couple of hours later, Rick remembered he had also bought a brownie for dessert and Kate went to the kitchen to get it. Opening the freezer, she realized there was no ice cream to go with the chocolaty goodness and Tyler immediately said they must have ice cream with brownie. It was just the way things worked in the world. Looking at Kate, Rick offered to go down to a grocery store to buy some.

"Can I go with him, mom?" Tyler asked, hopefully. Kate nodded and looked at Rick, confirming he was okay with it.

"Go get your coat, hat and gloves. It's really cold out there." Rick said and Tyler ran to his room to get ready.

"Are you sure he can go with you?" Kate asked and he nodded, reaching out to tuck a strand of her hair behind her ear. He couldn't get over how beautiful she was, even when she had no makeup on and was barefoot.

"Of course. Gives us some boys only time." He grinned at her and she smiled that shy little smile he had grown to fight for these past few weeks. Looking behind them to check that Lanie was distracted talking on the phone, he leaned in and pressed his lips to hers. Her taste was something he just couldn't get tired of.

"Okay, I'm ready." Tyler announced, returning to the living room. Rick led him to the door as Kate went back to her friend on the couch.

They made their way down to the street with Tyler telling him about the science fair and how the best project would get this awesome science kit and he was really hoping his project would be good enough. Rick relayed some tales about his childhood and all the bad things he had done as a kid and their mostly painful consequences. They laughed together as they entered the store and Rick smiled at Kate's little boy, thinking just how much his mother had to fight to take care of him all by herself. And here he was, a healthy and really smart kid, super fun to be around. He loved Alexis and loved to have a little girl, but his dynamic with Tyler was completely different. He was still learning how to deal with a boy as he had no previous experience.

As they were walking back to Kate's building, ice cream in hand, Tyler interrupted his thoughts.

"Hey, Rick, can I ask you a question?" he looked up at him shyly and Rick smiled at him encouragingly.

"Sure you can."

"Are you my mom's boyfriend?" he asked curiously and Rick felt the air punched out of his lungs. Shit. What was he supposed to tell him?

"I, uh…" He took a deep breath, trying to calm down his erratically beating heart. "I don't know, Tyler." He responded honestly. And it was the truth. They had never discussed any labels and this – however intense it was – was still so new between them that he wasn't sure they were ready to put any labels on it.

"How can you not know? I've seen you guys kiss and stuff. That's what boyfriends and girlfriends do, right?" he pressed on and Rick swallowed hard. They should've been more careful.

"Why do you ask?" He tried to evade the question; he needed to discuss this with Kate first.

"Well…" Tyler looked down for a minute, biting his bottom lip in a complete replica of his mother. "I want to know what your intentions are. Because she's really happy right now and I don't want her to get hurt. I hate seeing her sad. And I don't know much about my father because she never talks about him. But I've heard her talking to Aunt Lanie before and I know he hurt her pretty bad. I don't want that to happen again." He said it all in one breath and, if the situation wasn't so serious, he would've found the boy's nervousness funny.

"Ty, I know that. I know she's been hurt bad. I can tell you this much, though." He stopped in the middle of the sidewalk and crouched down to Tyler's level to look him in the eyes. "Even though we just met a few weeks ago, I care a lot about your mom. _A lot_. And I can promise you right now that I will never hurt her or you on purpose. Just like I would never hurt my daughter. Can you trust me on that?"

"I think so." Tyler said quietly and Rick gave him a small smile.

"I won't disappoint you, buddy. Alright? I promise." He watched as Tyler seemed to think it over. A minute later, a smile finally tugged his lips upward and Rick sighed in relief. "Ready to go? There's an amazing brownie waiting for us." The boy nodded and took his hand so they could cross the street.

Rick felt like a weight had just been lifted from his shoulders. He had the most important blessing of all.

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><p><strong>AN: Let me know what you think? Please?**


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N: First, thank you all again for your incredible feedback. I know I probably sound like a broken record, but it really does mean a lot that you guys seem to be enjoying this.**

**Second, some of you seem to be confused by the timeline so let me explain everything. This is January 2011. It has been 10 years since Kate's mom died. Alexis was obviously born later, but Rick is already in his mid-30s, while Kate is 31. Alexis has just turned 8 and Tyler will turn 9 around November/December. As this is an AU story, I took the liberty to play with their timeline a little bit. Is it still confusing?**

**Third, this is a little shorter than the two previous chapters, but this installment serves as a bridge to the second part of this story.**

**Fourth, thank you, Beetlebug, for your encouragement when I think everything I write sucks.**

**Anyway, hope you'll still enjoy it.**

**Disclaimer: If Castle was mine, I wouldn't be writing fanfiction.**

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><p><strong>Someone Like You<strong>

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 12<strong>

"Just get it out of your system, Lanie."

Kate waited five minutes after Rick and Tyler had left to go to the grocery store to buy ice cream. She busied herself by doing the dishes, but Lanie's intense gaze on her was unnerving. She knew the medical examiner was dying to grill her about Rick and hadn't done anything yet because of the aforementioned male presence in the apartment. After they left, however, Kate knew there was no escaping this, especially when she had relaxed and let her guard down when her boyfriend – was that what he was? She had no idea – was around.

"You and Mr. Castle seem awfully cozy around each other." She said with an overly casual tone while examining her nails. She had moved to the kitchen and sat at the table while Kate washed the glasses they had used this afternoon.

"It would appear so, yes." Kate narrowed her eyes at her friend and turned off the faucet, drying her hands quickly with a dish cloth. "Your point?" she lifted an eyebrow and Lanie's lips turned up in a knowing grin.

"Nothing. Just making an observation."

"Oh."

They were quiet for a beat. Kate mentally counted until ten before Lanie's resolve crumbled.

"You're dating Richard Castle, Kate! A goddamn celebrity!" she finally exclaimed and Kate had to bite the inside of her cheek to keep from laughing at her friend's excitement.

"Who said anything about dating?" She leveled an innocent gaze at Lanie, who rolled her eyes immediately.

"Oh, honey, don't try that on me. You think I didn't see you guys kissing right here in this kitchen before he left with Tyler?" she lifted her eyebrow at Kate, who sighed, knowing she couldn't win this.

"I'm not entirely sure what we're doing, really. It's… complicated between us." She sat at the table, resting her elbows on it, face in her hands.

"It didn't look complicated to me at all. He likes you, you like him." Lanie shrugged. "What's so complicated about two attractive, single adults having a good time together?"

"A lot. He's a celebrity, like you said, for starters. The kids. My job. His ex-wife, both of them, actually." She counted them off with her fingers. "And this, whatever it is that we're doing, it's… God, Lanie, I've never felt like this before." She confessed, her voice was barely whisper. "I have no idea how it happened, but things just got really intense, really fast."

"Isn't that a good thing?" Lanie reached out and touched her hand with a supportive smile.

"I don't know." Kate admitted honestly. It felt good to finally be able to talk this out with someone other than Rick, who was probably just as confused as she was. "He knows about mom." She said and heard Lanie gasp in surprise. "I know, I'm shocked too."

"Honey…" Kate watched as her friend struggled to find words. "I don't even know what to say." She said eventually and Kate laughed quietly. "When did this happen?"

"Last night."

"And you've known him for how long now?"

"A little over three weeks. I think." Kate looked at her hands, trying to sort her thoughts out.

"Well, that's… that's something alright." Lanie ran a hand through her hair and Kate looked up at her, knowing she had something to say. "Have you slept with him yet?" She asked gently, for once without the teasing tone she always had whenever they had this conversation about a guy. Kate shook her head.

"We agreed to take things slow. Like I said, it's been intense." Kate let out a breath and closed her eyes.

"I'll bet." Lanie commented, leaning back against the chair. "Are you in love with him, Kate?" She asked curiously and Kate looked up at her again, finding Lanie watching her with sincere wonder.

"No." It was her immediate answer. Then she bit her lip, thinking for a moment. "I don't know, Lanie. I can't be, right? I've only known him for three weeks. And you know me, I don't work like that."

"There's a first time for everything, sweetie." She touched Kate's hand again, giving it a light squeeze. "For what it's worth, I'm really happy for you."

"It scares me, Lane. What he does to me, how he makes me feel." She sighed heavily. "It's never been like this. Not even with Josh. And we know how well that turned out." She said bitterly.

"Oh, honey, I know it's hard, but you can't hold onto that forever. You deserve to be happy and it looks like this is finally your chance. Don't throw it away because you're afraid." She gave her a small, encouraging smile.

"I don't think I could run away, even if I wanted to."

"Does Tyler know?" Lanie asked and Kate shook her head.

"We decided to give it some time, see if things really work out between us before telling the kids." She explained, getting up to get a glass of water.

Just as she was pouring some water for Lanie, the door opened and she jumpled, startled. Rick and Tyler walked in, cheeks pink because of the cold, laughing about something. Rick shook his head – much like a giant dog, she thought, amused – throwing bits of snow everywhere. Tyler laughed at the scene, pulling off his gloves and hat and throwing them on the couch. They made their way to the kitchen after taking off their coats and Kate smiled at them, accepting the ice cream carton from Rick.

"We got your favorite, mom." Tyler said, perching himself up on a chair. Kate looked down and, sure enough, she had a carton of Ben & Jerry's Cherry Garcia ice cream in her hands.

"Thanks, boys." She smiled and Rick settled next to her against the counter, nudging her side affectionately.

"Can we have the brownie now?" Tyler asked impatiently and Kate chuckled, preparing his dessert quickly before giving it to him. "Thanks, mom." He smiled at her happily and dug in.

After everyone was appropriately full, Lanie announced she was leaving, saying she had to meet someone. Kate looked at her questioningly to which Lanie only mouthed "later". With a shrug, she hugged her friend goodbye and smiled as Lanie kissed Tyler loudly on the cheek, much to the boy's embarrassment – or so Tyler pretended; Kate knew he loved when Lanie did that – and turned to Rick. Kate enlisted Tyler's help to clean up the mess, but not before listening in on Lanie's hushed conversation with Rick.

"It was really nice to meet you, Rick." She said with a smile.

"Likewise, Dr. Parish. I am definitely going to count on your expertise for my next book, if you don't mind." He said with an easy grin and Lanie nodded.

"Kate knows where to find me. Speaking of Kate," she leaned closer to him, her voice quieter. "that girl is like a sister to me and it looks like you're making her pretty damn happy right now. But if you ever hurt her, I'll have you know that as a medical examiner, I can make anything look like an accident. Anything." She smiled sweetly at him and Kate had to stifle a laugh as he nodded, eyes wide. "Are we clear, Mr. Castle?"

"Crystal clear." He mumbled and Kate let out a giggle, shaking her head. When he returned to the kitchen after Lanie left, he leaned against the counter, running a hand through his hair.

"I think I've just gotten a death threat from your friend, Kate." He mused and she laughed, entirely too amused.

"I believe you have." She grinned at him, mirth dancing in her eyes. "You'd better be a good boy, then, don't you think?"

"I don't think that's possible, detective. Not with you around." He leered at her and she laughed out loud, slapping his chest.

"Shut up, Rick."

* * *

><p>A couple of hours later, Rick got a phone call from Meredith saying she wanted to drop Alexis off, but no one was answering at the loft. He sighed heavily and Kate looked up at him. They were on the couch and she was lying comfortably with her head on his lap. Tyler was out playing with one of the kids that lived in the building and they had been just watching TV and enjoying each other's company.<p>

"What's wrong?" she asked when he hung up and leaned his head back on the couch. At the sound of her voice, he looked down at her, running his hand gently through her hair.

"Meredith." He rolled his eyes. "Apparently she's done with Alexis for the day and wants to drop her off. I told her to drive her here and I'll meet her downstairs. Is that alright?" He asked, suddenly remembering he hadn't even checked with Kate before giving Meredith instructions to bring his daughter over.

"Of course it is." She sat up and turned to face him, resting her elbow on the back of the couch. "Did everything go okay with their day out?"

"I sure hope so. I can't handle her hurting my little girl again in so short a time." He let out a breath and reached out to tuck her hair behind her ear. She offered him a smile and he grinned slightly back. She was so beautiful, he mused. He still couldn't believe she had actually given him a chance. "They'll be here soon." He said and Kate nodded, scooting closer to him.

"Maybe we could take the kids out later? Grab a pizza?" she suggested and he agreed, pulling her to him until she rested her head on his chest. They had to enjoy their alone time together before both their kids returned.

"I had an interesting conversation with Tyler earlier today." He told her after a couple of minutes.

"Yeah? About what?" she asked curiously, fiddling with the hem of his shirt.

"You, actually. He wanted to know my intentions toward you." He said quietly and she almost bashed his face in when she sat up abruptly.

"He _what_?" She looked at him, mouth open in shock. Rick chuckled at her reaction.

"Well, first he asked me if I was your boyfriend." He supplied and Kate hid her face in her hands.

"Oh my God." She moaned, her voice muffled. "What did you say?" she looked at him, dreading the answer.

"I told him the truth." At her raised eyebrows, he continued. "I said I didn't know if I was your boyfriend, but that I cared about you a lot. He caught us kissing, apparently. I couldn't lie to him."

She let out the breath she had been holding and looked at him unsure.

"I don't know what to say." She said eventually and he took her hand in his, playing with her fingers.

"It was the truth, Kate. I do care about you. Way too much for my own good." He added with a smile and sighed, relieved, when her lips turned up slightly. "And we never discussed anything about, you know, labels, so…"

"Do we need to?" she rested her chin on her hand, elbow on the back of the couch.

"Do you want to?" he countered and she but her lip in that sexy way that drove him crazy.

"I don't know. I mean, if Tyler knows, then you're probably telling Alexis soon, right?" she asked as he intertwined their fingers, his thumb caressing her skin.

"Yeah. If Tyler doesn't tell her first." He chuckled at the memory of the boy's serious speech. "You should've seen him, Kate. He looked so nervous, but so determined to defend your honor."

"That's my little gentleman." She smiled. "I can't believe he did that." She shook her head in wonder.

"He loves you, so he wants to protect you. I promised him the same thing I promised you." He said, kissing the top of her hand. "So, do you want to discuss labels?"

"Well, I don't think we need to put a label on this. But maybe to make things easier…" she trailed off when he started trailing kisses up her arm, his eyes never leaving hers.

"So is this when I ask you if you want to go steady with me?" he grinned when he saw her biting her lip again, her eyes now intent on the path his lips were trailing on her arm.

"Maybe. Just so we have something to tell them when they ask." She whispered, breathless already when he pulled her closer, lips now touching her collarbone.

"Alright." He mumbled against her skin, now placing open mouthed kisses to her neck, delighted when he felt a shiver run through her body.

His lips found hers and he kissed her fiercely, feeling even more aroused when she kissed him back just as enthusiastically. She soon threw her leg over his, straddling him and pressing her body tightly (deliciously) against his. When she moaned against his lips, he felt his pants tightening, as much as he tried to control himself. His hands quickly found her bare skin, as they slipped under her sweater. She was hot under his touch and he groaned when she pressed her hips against his. Pulling apart when oxygen became a necessity, he shivered when her lips found the pulse point on his neck and sucked gently, her tongue doing amazing things to his skin.

He quickly found her lips again, his tongue clashing with hers immediately. He wanted her so much, it almost physically hurt. Her hands started to slowly undo the buttons of his shirt, slipping in to touch his skin. Her hips were doing a maddening slow dance against his and it was all he could do not to lose it right there.

Just when she had unbuttoned the last barrier and was about to push his shirt off his shoulders, his phone went off, making them both jump. He rested his forehead on her shoulder for a minute, trying to catch his breath. Kate wrapping her arms around his neck and leaning further into him, her breath ragged, was _not_ making his situation any easier. After a moment, he swallowed hard and grabbed his phone, pulling away from her slightly. Tracing her (extremely inviting) swollen lips with his thumb, he smiled when she placed a kiss on it and leaned against him again, her head on his shoulder. He took a deep breath in an attempt to steady his racing heart and finally pressed the answer button on his phone.

"Hello?" He said, relieved that he didn't sound as breathless and overwhelmed as he felt.

"We're down here, Rick. Not exactly the best place in Manhattan, is it? Is this where your little detective lives?" He heard Meredith's voice and ignored her last remark.

"I'll be right there." He said shortly, gently running his hand up and down Kate's back.

"Could you hurry up? I've got a date soon and I need to go get ready." His hand stilled on her back and Kate looked up at him questioningly. He shook his head, pressing his lips to her temple.

"Bye, Meredith." He hung up and let out a heavy sigh, looking down at Kate.

"You okay?" She asked quietly and he nodded.

"I have to go get Alexis." He explained and she got up so he could do the same. Buttoning his shirt up, he looked at her with a small grin. "This is nowhere near over, you know." He told her and his grin only grew when she bit her lip, trying to fight a smile.

"Nope." She grinned at him and he pulled her to him, kissing her briefly, but deeply. "Soon." She whispered breathless as he rested his forehead on hers.

"Very soon." He whispered and kissed her again. "I'll be right back." He said and forced himself to pull away from her. One inside the elevator, he leaned against the wall and closed his eyes, trying to get himself under control.

Man, she was driving him crazy.

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><p><strong>AN: Tell me what you think?**


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N: You guys are almost breaking the 300 mark on alerts for this story. That is pretty freaking awesome and I love you all for it.**

**Also, today I realized I can spend hours and hours on Tumblr and not get bored, so I thought I'd get one for myself. If you feel like it, the link is on my profile or you can just look for trappedinamatchbox there. Creative, I know. I think this is a way we can interact a lot more, so feel free to come and say hi. I'm still learning my way through it, so please bear with me.**

**Hope you'll enjoy this one.**

**Disclaimer: If Castle was mine, I certainly would not be writing fan fiction.**

* * *

><p><strong>Someone Like You<strong>

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 13<strong>

It had been two weeks since that lazy Sunday spent at Kate's apartment. After Alexis arrived and Kate told Tyler it was time to come home, they ordered pizza and played board games for a couple more hours. Around 9pm, they decided to call it a night and he reluctantly left her. He was getting so addicted to her, it was ridiculous.

He talked to Alexis that night on their way home and, upon hearing Kate was his girlfriend now, the girl rolled her eyes at him, saying she already knew. She had seen them kissing on the lips and had talked to Tyler about it already. The boy had just confirmed it for her while they were playing earlier that day.

"_Are you going to marry her?" She asked as they entered the loft. Rick looked down at her, eyes wide, for a moment._

"_I… I don't know, pumpkin." He made his way to the kitchen and poured himself some water, downing it thirstily. His throat felt like the Sahara Desert._

"_Well, it would be nice. I really like her." She smiled at him, climbing up on one of the stools. "And then Tyler could be my brother, right? So that would be really cool."_

"_I think it's entirely too soon to be thinking about that, sweetheart. But I'm glad you like her." He smiled at her, kissing the top of her head lovingly._

"_And she's a really nice mom to Tyler too." She added, her voice slightly quieter, but he noted the change in her demeanor. It broke his heart, knowing that she was so starved for motherly affection, even after spending all day with Meredith._

"_Yeah, she is." He agreed, picking her up and holding her tightly to him. Sometimes he wished being a single parent wasn't so damn hard._

A slap on his shoulder brought him out of his thoughts. He was at the precinct, waiting for Kate. They were going to grab some lunch, as it was the only time they could actually have some alone time as both Tyler and Alexis were always with them. Remembering the heated make out session on her couch that Sunday afternoon, he wondered when they would be able to finish what they had started. It seemed like they were always surrounded by people.

"I hear Lanie gave you a hard time, man." Esposito chuckled, passing him on the way to his desk. Rick laughed, nodding.

"Guess you could say that. That woman is tiny, but she's damn scary." He commented and the detective nodded.

"Don't I know it…" he trailed off and Rick lifted an eyebrow at him. "Anyway, Beckett is interrogating a suspect. Shouldn't take too long. The guy has guilty written all over his face."

"Killed his wife, right? Kate told me about it last night." He leaned back against the chair, making himself comfortable.

"Yeah. Nasty stuff too." They were quiet for a beat as Esposito sorted through the stack of papers on his desk. "So you and Beckett, huh?" he said and Rick looked up again, only to find his gaze slightly more threatening than it had been barely a minute before. "You treating her good?"

"I care a lot about her, if that's what you're asking." He said evenly and Esposito nodded, watching him thoughtfully.

"We care a lot about her too, Castle. That girl is like my little sister and she's been through hell and back in the past few years." He told him after checking that Kate was still in the interrogation room. "I guess it goes without saying that if you hurt her…"

"You can make it look like an accident, I know. I think it's great that you guys are so protective of her, but I really do care about her, Esposito. Too much, probably." He sighed and ran a hand through his hair.

"Good. As long as we're on the same page here." He leaned back against his chair, propping his feet up on his desk. "So, do you play anything?"

"Does Xbox count?"

"Sure. What about basketball? Do you shoot some hoops?" Rick had the distinct impression that the detective was testing him.

"Haven't in a while. Why?"

"Well, Ryan and I sometimes hit the court to play ball on our weekends off. You're welcome to join us next weekend." He offered him a friendly grin and Rick realized he was just trying to be nice.

"Sure, that'd be great. Maybe we can play some Halo afterwards? I got the new one just last week." He invited and the detective grinned at him in what he was sure Kate would describe as childish wonder. Then he realized he already knew her well enough to know how she would react to certain things. He didn't even want to think of what that possibly meant. Not yet.

"That would be awesome, man." Esposito bumped his fist with his and he smiled. At least they didn't hate him, he thought to himself. "So, Saturday cool for you?" He asked expectantly.

"What's happening on Saturday?" Kate asked, reaching her desk. A smile immediately tugged on Rick's lips. They hadn't seen each other in a couple of days and he had missed her terribly. Yeah, he was a total goner.

"We're playing basketball and then Halo." Esposito told her happily and she looked back at Rick, eyebrows raised.

"Is that so?" she asked, fighting a smile. "Hi." She whispered and he had to stop himself from pulling her against him and kiss her like there was no tomorrow.

"Hi." He smiled at her and helped her put her coat on. "And yeah, Esposito here invited me to play some ball with him and Ryan. Then we're going back to the loft to play Xbox." He explained and Kate nodded looking at both men interestedly.

"Alright, you boys have fun." She grabbed her purse. "Are you ready to go? I'm starving."

"Sure." Rick followed her to the elevator, hand resting comfortable on the small of her back. "Esposito, we'll hash out the details later."

"Sure thing, bro. Beckett has my number." The detective said.

"Alright, kids, you can talk about your play date later." Kate teased and Rick nudged her side playfully. "Esposito, call me if anything comes up. I'll be back in an hour." He nodded and Rick guided her into the elevator. Once the doors were closed and the elevator moving, Kate leaned in to press a soft kiss to his lips. "You're playing basketball with the boys?" She asked, amused, and he shrugged.

"He invited me." He wrapped his arms around her waist, finally getting to feel her body pressed against his after two whole days. "He also gave me the speech about not hurting you or I'll end up dead. You know, I think I've never received so many death threats in such a short amount of time." He grinned at her, kissing her nose lovingly and she laughed.

"You don't have to do that, you know." She commented, hugging him. "I know they can be difficult."

"I want to, Kate. They're part of your life." He pulled away slightly to look at her. "And they love you. Enough to kill me if I ever do anything wrong." He chuckled and she bit her lip, shaking her head. "So what's the harm in getting to know them, right?"

"I guess." She sighed and framed his face with her hands, pulling him down for a kiss. "You're too good to me." She whispered against his lips and he hugged her tighter, his teeth nibbling on her bottom lip.

Before he could respond, the doors opened and they pulled away from each other. Even though Lanie, the boys and the kids knew about them, they still tried to be careful in public. There hadn't been any more paparazzi scares, but they had learned their lesson. Rick knew that Kate was a really private person and that the fact he was constantly under public scrutiny bothered her. But he would do his very best to not mess up.

Linking his pinky finger with hers, he led her to their favorite Chinese restaurant, which was just a few blocks south of the precinct. She smiled at him upon feeling his touch and he grinned back. It was a beautiful, sunny day, but it was still intensely cold. Rick skirted a patch of melting snow on the sidewalk, wishing fervently for spring to arrive already. He had had enough of the below freezing temperatures that had been torturing New York City that winter. It was still February, however, and they still had a little while to go.

Speaking of February, Valentine's Day was right around the corner and, as he looked at Kate through the corner of his eyes, he wondered if she was the kind of woman who loved all things about the holiday. This year, it would fall on a Monday and he was sure she would be working then. So whatever she wanted to do – if she wanted to do anything – it would most likely have to wait until the following weekend when he hoped she would have a day off. The woman worked way too much for her own good.

"Penny for your thoughts." Her voice pulled him out of his inner debate and he smiled slightly at her, firmly enveloping her hand in his, now that they were almost at the restaurant.

"I was just thinking. Valentine's Day is next week." He wiggled her eyebrows at her suggestively and she laughed.

"I know. Monday, right?" She entwined her fingers with his.

"So I was wondering if you wanted to do something. I mean, I know you'll most likely be working on the 14th, but maybe the next weekend? Maybe we could go out to dinner, just us. Since, you know, we haven't even been on a date yet and we've been doing this for almost a month." He knew he was babbling, but it seemed that his mind lost its filter whenever he was near her.

"Sure, I'd love to. I just have to find someone to babysit Tyler. I think I actually have that weekend off, for once. Not even on call." She grinned at him and he saw a spark of excitement and – dare he think it – desire in her eyes.

"It's a date, then, detective." He mirrored her grin and brought their joined hands up to press a kiss to her skin. "I can ask my mother to watch Alexis and Tyler if she's not busy."

"That would be great." She smirked at him. "And, you know, maybe we can have my place to ourselves." She lifted her eyebrows at him, her grin widening at his reaction.

"You're killing me, woman." He whispered in her ear, fighting really hard to not nip at her skin with his teeth, and she laughed, biting her lip.

"Katie!" They heard someone calling her and turned around, looking for the source. A gray haired man, who looked like he was in his fifties, was smiling at Kate. Rick turned to look at her and found her with a mixed expression of surprise and happiness.

"Dad." She said with a smile and let go of his hand to hug the man. Rick's blood froze in his veins. Holy shit, it was her father. "What are you doing here? I didn't know you'd be in the city today." She hugged him tightly for a moment and Rick smiled at the scene. "I missed you."

"Missed you too, sweetheart. How are you doing? How's Ty?" he touched her cheek and she smiled happily. For a moment, Rick could see the little girl Kate had once been shine through.

"I'm doing really good and so is Tyler. Finally took his cast off last week, so he's happy about that." Her father nodded and then seemed to notice Rick standing a step behind his daughter. Kate followed his gaze and smiled at what he was sure was the slightly nervous look on his face. He really needed to practice his poker face more often. "Oh, dad, this is Rick Castle." She looked at him for a moment, bottom lip trapped by her teeth. When he nodded slightly, she smiled and continued. "My boyfriend." She said and rolled her eyes at the happy smile Rick gave her. "Rick, this is my dad, Jim Beckett."

"Nice to meet you, Mr. Beckett." He said with what he hoped was an easy smile and shook the man's hand.

"Nice to meet you too, Rick. And please, call me Jim." He smiled and Rick let out the breath he had been holding. "Wait, your name sounds familiar. Are you a writer?"

"Guilty as charged, sir." He said and linked his pinky with Kate's again.

"Isn't he the author of those books you love so much, Katie?" Jim said and he watched as Kate blushed next to him and glared at her father.

"Wait, books you love? You never told me about that." He grinned at her and nudged her side before taking her hand in his, squeezing it encouragingly as he looked at her expectantly.

"You never asked." She managed to recover and throw him a teasing look. "So, dad, what are you doing here, exactly? And you should've called, you know." She narrowed her eyes at her father, aptly changing the subject.

"Just meeting Peter for lunch. He said he needed to talk. I think things aren't going so well with his marriage." He explained and Kate nodded.

"Well, tell Uncle Peter I said hey. I miss him." She said and he nodded. "Why don't you stay over tonight? Tyler misses you and he would be so happy to see you."

"I'd love that, honey. We have some catching up to do." He nodded towards Rick and grinned at her knowingly. Rick chuckled at the look on her face, receiving an elbow to his stomach.

"Can you stop by the precinct in a couple of hours? Then we can go pick up Tyler and you guys can spend some time together maybe?" she suggested and Jim agreed immediately. Hugging her father, he heard her whisper her love to him and smiled. "I'll see you later, dad." She kissed his cheek and stepped away.

"It was really nice to meet you, sir." Rick shook his hand again with a smile.

"Likewise, Rick. You take care of my little girl." He looked at him sternly, but a smiled soon appeared on his lips. He seemed to be genuinely surprised Kate had a boyfriend, but happy at the same time. Rick made a mental note to ask Kate about that later.

"Always, sir." He assured the man and they said their goodbyes. Once Jim was out of sight, Rick turned to her, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. "Well, that was interesting." He commented and she laughed as they continued their way to the restaurant.

"Sorry about that. Definitely wasn't how I'd imagined you two would meet." She chuckled and he squeezed her shoulder. "But he seems to like you, if that makes you feel any better."

"Thank God. You know, I was afraid he was going to pull out a shot gun for a moment there." He said as they entered the restaurant and Kate shook her head, amused.

"Well, the last boyfriend I introduced him to was Ty's father, so the track record isn't the best."

"That explains why he was so surprised when you introduced me to him. Which, by the way, was the first time you introduced me to someone as your boyfriend." He grinned at her happily and she rolled her eyes, fighting a smile.

"Weird, wasn't it?" she commented as they sat at the table. He took her hand in his, entwining their fingers.

"Good weird, though." His thumb caressed her skin and he brought her hand to his lips, making her smile.

"Definitely good." She bit her lip and squeezed his hand, her smile making his heart skip a beat.

For a moment, an intense warm feeling ran through him. It felt a lot like something he was sure was entirely too soon to even start thinking about.

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><p><strong>AN: Thoughts?**


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N: I'll talk more at the end of the chapter. For now,enjoy.**

**Disclaimer: Castle is not mine. I'm just playing with them for a little while.**

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><p><strong>Someone Like You<strong>

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><p><strong>Chapter 14<strong>

Kate tried to roll onto her side, but found that she was pinned to the bed. Blinking sleepily, she grimaced when pins and needles shot up her arm as blood started to flow to her hand. She tried to think hard, closing her eyes to remember how she had gotten here with a completely numb arm that was now excruciatingly coming back to life and something clearly weighing her down, enough that she couldn't move.

Opening her eyes again, she decided her curiosity won out and finally looked down at whatever was holding her captive. She was in her bedroom – so that was a relief – and a head of messy brown hair had taken residence on her chest, she realized with a smile, as all the details of the night before returned to her with unbelievable clarity. Her entire body tingled now as she remembered all the delicious attention it had received last night as she ran her hand – now almost back to normal – through that messy brown hair. He was still dead to the world, but now she could feel his steady breathing on her skin as he slept on completely unaware he was being watched adoringly by a clearly enamored detective.

She had dropped Tyler off at the loft with a clearly excited Martha. She was glad that his mother approved of their relationship, but the woman had to be the most dramatic person she had ever met. Granted, she was an actress, but her flare for the grandeur was as scary as it was endearing. On her way there, Tyler had finally come clean with her that he knew she was dating Rick. She had been waiting for him to come to her about it and had been surprised he managed to hold out for so long. He was usually extremely upfront with her about everything.

Maybe it was the fact that this was actually the first time he was aware that there was another man in her life. It had always been just the two of them and any of the other relationships she had been in after he was born had been casual. She was always terrified of letting her baby boy get attached to a guy, only to have him walk away like Josh had. Until Rick – and she did admit she was still with her foot on the door with him, even though he made it very difficult to keep things that way with each passing day – she had never allowed any of her flings get anywhere near her kid, so Tyler had never been aware that she was seeing someone.

Now things were different. He had known Rick from the start and, although he clearly loved spending time with him and Alexis, she knew he wasn't exactly comfortable with his mom dating. When he asked her whether Rick was her boyfriend or not and she said he was, the look on his face had been slightly worrisome. He had looked out the window quietly for a minute, before turning back to her.

"I'm happy if you're happy, mom." He offered her a small smile and she watched him sigh through the rearview mirror.

His reaction worried her. Although she had never discussed Josh with him a lot, she knew he missed having a male presence in his life. He had asked her once a few years ago why he was the only kid in his class without a daddy. It had broken her heart to watch him try to understand at age 5 that he wasn't any different from the other kids just because he only had a mommy. The look on his face as understanding had finally dawned on him was something she would never forget and she had vowed to never let anyone get close enough to cause that look on her child's face again.

After dropping Tyler off at the loft, making sure he had come out of his funk and was happily playing with Alexis, Rick took her to a very low key restaurant in Midtown. She was grateful for his thoughtfulness and, as they went through a bottle of a very good Merlot, she voiced her concerns about Tyler.

"I'm just not entirely sure how to handle this, you know? You're the first guy that he actually knows I'm dating." She sighed after taking a sip of wine and Rick touched her hand, caressing her skin comfortingly.

"I can't say it's going to be easy. Alexis is excited about this whole thing, but that's because she likes you a lot."

"But Tyler does like you. You know that." She interrupted, but he shook his head.

"It's different, Kate. It's like you said, it's the first time he's aware that you have a boyfriend and he probably feels that he has competition as the only man in your life." He said and Kate sighed, thinking. This was exactly why she had always been afraid of getting involved with someone like she was with Rick. Tyler was the center of her universe, but how was she supposed to make him understand that when he saw her with another man?

"What should I do then? I mean, how did you handle this kind of thing with Alexis?" she turned her hand and he laced his fingers through hers.

"Every kid is different. Alexis didn't like Gina at first, but I just kept everything as normal as I could. I didn't change her routine much and still spent most of my time with her, which eventually was kind of why my marriage sank so fast. But she understood that just because I was dating a woman, it didn't mean that I loved her any less." Kate looked away for a moment, biting on her lip thoughtfully, and he squeezed her hand. "He'll come around, Kate."

"I hope so." She gave him a small smile that he responded by lifting her hand to his lips.

Even though her thoughts kept coming back to Tyler's reaction throughout the night, Kate allowed herself to take comfort in Rick's words and chose to believe that he would eventually be okay with the fact that she had another man in her life, and that he would always be the number one guy in her heart. Rick managed to distract her enough that she enjoyed herself immensely throughout the three hours they spent at the restaurant. It didn't feel like a first date at all, given that they had already known each other for over a month and had spent that time practically attached at the hip. She laughed at his tale of setting his bedroom curtain on fire accidentally when he was 9 and she made him promise that he would never tell Tyler that, so he wouldn't get any ideas.

Three hours, a bottle of wine and a delicious meal later, they drove back to her apartment. Although the mood throughout their evening out had been more on the innocent side, now that they were alone on their way to her empty apartment made her hyper aware of everything. She could hear his breathing in the silence of the car as she drove and his touch on the back of her neck sent shivers through her entire body. When they stopped at a red light, she turned to look at him, only to find him watching her intently. Leaning in to press her lips quickly to his, she was breathless when he kissed her briefly but deeply. She tried her hardest to concentrate on the traffic, but his hand on her thigh was making that task incredibly difficult. Was this what a month of pent up sexual tension felt like? Because she couldn't quite control all the feelings and sensations running wild through her body.

Parking the car in her building's garage, she turned to look at him again and this time he pulled her to him immediately, their lips crashing together, tongues dancing and battling for domination. His hand snuck up her shirt and she felt his touch leaving a path of fire on her skin as he deftly explored her back and sides. Before she could start unbuttoning his shirt (and he was wearing a light blue button down that brought out his eyes and just made him look even hotter in her book), she pulled away reluctantly, breathing hard.

"We should probably take this upstairs, unless we want to give the doorman a free show." She pointed at the security camera outside with a breathless chuckle, her heart feeling like it was about to beat its way out of her chest. He laughed and pulled her in for another breathtaking kiss.

"Lead the way, detective." He whispered in her ear and she closed her eyes as a shiver ran deliciously through her.

They got out of the car and she locked it behind her. He took her hand, his fingers immediately threading through hers, and they walked to the elevator area. It was deserted at that time of the night as the garage was pretty much empty. Kate pressed the button and relaxed into his chest when he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled back against him. His lips started a very thorough exploration of her neck and she involuntarily tilted her head to give him better access. Every nerve ending on her body seemed to be tingling and she had to bite her lip to keep in a moan that desperately wanted to escape. Rick seemed to take pleasure at the situation he was putting her in because she could feel his lips curving into a smile against her skin.

The ride up to her apartment had never seemed so slow to her as he assaulted her skin with torturous butterfly kisses that were driving her insane. When the elevator doors opened, they stumbled out, tangled in a mess of lips, teeth, tongues and limbs. Kate thanked whatever higher power was listening for her apartment being so close to the elevator because she could not take this sweet torture any longer. He pressed her up against her door, his body tight against hers as he kissed her in a way that she was sure she had never been kissed before. His hands ran free all over her body, slipping under her shirt and assaulting her senses. If they didn't get into her apartment in the next thirty seconds, she was sure she would spontaneously combust.

"I'm not sure I can control myself if you don't open that door soon, Kate." He whispered breathless in her ear, his teeth nibbling on her lobe.

She laughed and pulled him in for another kiss (because she was feeling reckless and dangerous tonight) before turning around in his arms, trying to fish her keys out of her purse. His lips latched on to her neck and she found it very difficult to concentrate on getting the key in to unlock the door.

"You're not helping." She hissed at him after the third try at opening her door, gasping when he sucked on her pulse point. "Rick." She pushed his head away playfully and took a deep breath, relieved when she finally heard the click of the door unlocking.

Pulling him inside, she threw her keys and purse on the couch as they passed through the living room on the way to her room. She pressed him against the wall near her bedroom and sucked mercilessly on his neck, letting her teeth and tongue join in the action. When he gasped, she smiled wickedly against his skin, her hands already unbuttoning his shirt. She needed to feel him close to her and those clothes were annoyingly on her way. The warmth radiating off his skin was nearly intoxicating, as was his scent.

"You know, I had plans to offer you some wine when we got here, but I think it can wait, don't you?" she whispered huskily into his ear and nearly laughed, delighted, when he practically growled at her.

Pushing his shirt off his shoulders, she let her hands do the exploration they had been so eager to partake in ever since they had touched for the first time weeks ago. His arms wrapped around her waist and he pulled her tightly against him, making her feel just how badly he wanted her. She was breathless and eager at the prospect and teased him by moving tantalizingly slow against him. He took her lips with his, sucking on her bottom lip, his tongue soothing it afterwards. Before she knew what was happening, he flipped their positions and his body now pressed her tightly against the wall and his thigh found its way between her legs. The pressure, the friction was almost too much for her to bear as a moan escaped her lips. He pulled away for a moment, enough to take her shirt off and throw it away, before attacking her collarbone and chest with his mouth. Kate was panting now, her chest heaving when his hand slowly pulled her skirt down until it pooled around her feet.

Now only dressed in her undergarments and heels, she pulled away from him, only to pull him into her room. Closing the door behind her, she slipped off her heels and looked up at him, smirking when he stared at her intently. With a grin, she closed the distance between them, pushing him in the direction of her bed, laughing breathlessly when he fell down, pulling her with him.

The things he did to her after that had her blushing pleasantly now as she watched him sleep. Running her fingers gently through his hair, she looked at the clock on her bedside table. It was almost 9 and she was really tempted to go back to sleep. She looked down at Rick once more, smiling at the sight. He was lying almost on top of her with his head on her chest, an arm around her waist holding her close, and his legs intricately tangled with hers. She lifted her head just enough to press a kiss to his hair, sighing contently. Whatever had led them to this, however they had gotten here so quickly, she was infinitely glad for his presence in her life. She couldn't remember a time when she had felt so content and happy and complete than how she was feeling now. Running her hand down his back, she delighted over the fact that she could touch him like this now.

Their night had been – and she cringed at the clichéd description that popped up in her head – magical. He was so attentive to her; they had been so wrapped up in each other, fulfilling every need and desire for a touch, a kiss, a caress. She tried to remember if she had ever experienced what she had with Rick last night with anyone, but nothing came to mind.

"You know, I'm flattered, but this watching me sleep thing is slightly creepy." His voice startled her out of her thoughts and she laughed, slapping his shoulder playfully.

"Shut up." She mumbled and smiled when he turned to look at her, chin resting on her chest and his hair a complete mess. "Morning." She whispered, touching his stubbly cheek. He turned his head and kissed her palm.

"Morning." He croaked out, leaning in to press a kiss to her lips. She ran her fingers through his hair and held him there for a moment, reveling in the feeling of having him so intimately pressed against her. "How'd you sleep?" he asked, pressing a kiss to her neck.

"Like a baby." She told him and tilted her head to give him better access. He showered her skin with open mouthed kisses, his tongue joining in on the fun. "You?" she asked with a gasp as he sucked on the sensitive spot behind her ear.

"Best night _ever_." He murmured against her skin and she giggled, pulling him in for a kiss. "What time did we say we were going back to the loft?" he was now fully on top of her, his arms supporting his weight as he hovered over her.

"Around ten, I think." She grinned at him devilishly and flipped them over.

"Maybe we can…" he wiggled his eyebrows at her comically and she laughed, leaning down to kiss him again as his hands ghosted over her sides, before settling on her ass.

"I believe we can, Mr. Castle." She whispered in his ear and laughed happily when he flipped them over again and pressed her into the bed, silencing her laugh with a kiss.

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><p>"I could get used to this, you know." He commented as they rode the elevator up to his loft. He was leaning against the back wall, holding her closely with his arms around her waist. She leaned her head back on his shoulder and sighed.<p>

"Guess that makes two of us." She murmured, turning her head to press a kiss to his neck, smiling when his hold on her tightened. "We are ridiculous. You do know that, right?" she chuckled and he captured her lips with his.

"I don't care. I like being ridiculous." He mumbled against her lips. She was about to turn around to kiss him properly when the doors opened on his floor.

They stepped out of the elevator and made their way to his door, still wrapped in each other. Rick pulled out his key and unlocked the door, stepping away to let her in first. They could hear laughter coming from the living room and Kate smiled when she found both Tyler and Alexis huddled under a heavy blanket watching a cartoon.

"Hey, guys." She called to them and both turned to the sound. The smile on Tyler's face was all she could see, relieved that he was okay and happy to see her.

"Mom!" He threw the blanket off of him and ran in her direction. He was still in his pajamas, an old Sponge Bob sweater warming him up. "I missed you." He said, crashing into her, his arms hugging her hips tightly.

"Hi, baby." She knelt down to his level, taking him into her arms. "Did you have fun last night with Alexis and Martha?"

"Yeah, Mrs. Rodgers is really cool." He smiled at her and she kissed his nose lovingly. "We watched movies and she let us build a fort. It was really fun."

"That's great, Ty. Were you good to her?" he nodded and hugged her again. Kate picked him up and stood up with him in her arms. He wrapped his little legs around her waist and even though he was a bit heavy for her to carry already, she made her way to the couch, where Rick had Alexis curled up in his lap. "Did you have fun last night, mom?" he asked quietly and she pulled away a little to look at him.

"I did, baby. A lot." She assured him and he nodded, resting his head on her shoulder again. "Missed you, though." She whispered in his ear and felt him smile as his hold on her tightened. "Tell you what, why don't you go change and we'll go out? Just the two of us." She smiled when his features lit up, a happy glint appearing in his eyes.

"I'll be right back." He announced and she put him down, sighing in relief when he dashed away up the stairs excitedly.

Sitting on the couch next to Rick, she pressed a kiss to Alexis' hair, smiling when the girl looked up at her with a small smile before turning back to the cartoon playing on the big screen in front of them. Relaxing into the couch, she felt Rick's arm pull her into his side and she went willingly, resting her head on his shoulder.

"Told you he'd be okay." He whispered in her ear and she nodded. "I wish you could stay, but you're doing the right thing by spending some time alone with him."

"I know." She sighed and took the hand that was trailing up and down her side, threading her fingers through his. "Thank you." She murmured in his ear, kissing his neck gently.

"For what?" he turned to look at her and she gave him a small smile, squeezing his hand.

"For everything." She said and his happy smile was contagious.

"Always, Kate. Always." He kissed her cheek and breathed her in.

"Mom, I'm ready." Tyler announced running back down the stairs. "Where are we going?" he asked excitedly and Kate chuckled, getting up.

"It's a surprise, young man." She brushed his hair away from his eyes and reveled at the happy look in his eyes. Yeah, they were going to be okay, she thought to herself with a smile. Turning back to Rick, she leaned down, pressing a kiss to Alexis' cheek and smiled when the girl hooked her arms around her neck, pulling her in for a hug. After Alexis released her, Kate leaned down and kissed Rick's lips softly. "Thanks for last night." She whispered against his lips and smiled when his lips tugged up in a small grin. "I'll call you later."

"I'm going to miss you." He told her, pressing his lips to hers one last time after she nodded, and let her stand up.

"Tell Martha I said thank you."

He nodded and led them to the door. They stopped just outside the loft and Kate turned back to him. He knelt down to Tyler's level and motioned the boy closer, telling him something so quietly that she couldn't quite make out what it was. Whatever it was, though, had Tyler smiling and nodding so she was okay with it. She would get it out of him later. Bumping fists with Tyler, he stood up and smiled at her.

"I'll see you later?" he asked and she nodded, pressing an innocent peck to his lips. They said their goodbyes and walked towards the elevator. Just as they entered it, they heard Rick's voice again. "And Ty?" Her son turned around to look at him as the doors started to close. "I really mean that." He said and Kate watched as a small smile appeared on her son's lips and he nodded.

"What was that about?" she asked curiously as the elevator rode down to the lobby.

"It's a secret, mom. Can't tell you." He grinned happily and Kate bit her lip, curiosity already gnawing at her. "He'll tell you soon." He assured her and she decided to let it be for now.

As they walked out of Rick's building, Kate took his hand in hers and led him to the car. After making sure he was settled in the backseat, she drove to his favorite diner near their apartment. Tyler was ecstatic as it had been months since they had last been here. Looking at his happiness at spending the day with her, Kate realized she should do that more often. She had been working too much in the past couple of years and her little boy paid the price.

After lunch, they went to Central Park, where they spent hours strolling down around the big lake, having a snowball fight and just enjoying each other. She took a picture of them with her phone and Tyler looked so happy that she sent it to Rick, saying he was right. When the New York chill started to get to them, she pulled Tyler to his feet and they walked out of the park, making their way to a café a couple of blocks away.

"What do you say we get a cup of hot chocolate, squirt?" she asked him and he nodded enthusiastically. The temperature had dropped drastically and they could definitely use something to warm them up.

They entered the café and Kate sent Tyler to procure them a table while she ordered their beverages. Sighing happily, she took her phone out and laughed quietly to herself at Rick's text that had been flashing on the screen. She started to compose a reply to his completely inappropriate, but ridiculously funny message when the kid on the counter called out for the next customer. Distracted, she accidentally bumped into the guy in front of her. Mumbling an apology, she looked up quickly and focused on her phone again. Then she did a double take.

Standing in front of her was the person she had thought she would never see again.

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><p><strong>AN: Okay, first, please don't shoot me. Second, I can be persuaded to post a more detailed version of this chapter separately. I just didn't want to change the rating here as the story is not about that. It's up to you guys. Third, I hope you liked it and that you don't hate me. Please tell me what you think?**


	15. Chapter 15

**A/N: So... wow. The response to the last chapter was a little overwhelming. Thank you so much and I hope you guys stick with me, even if I'm bringing on a bit of angst.**

**Disclaimer: Castle is still not mine.**

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><p><strong>Someone Like You<strong>

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><p><strong>Chapter 15<strong>

For a moment, it felt like time had stopped and all the oxygen supply around her was suddenly gone. She couldn't breathe, she couldn't move. She couldn't do anything except stare at the man that she had sworn to herself she would never forgive. He looked older, was the first conscious thought that ran through her mind. Granted, it had been nine years since she had last seen him, but the older look suited him, she would give him that. Of course he still looked good; he was already easy on the eyes at age 27, now he looked even better.

But it didn't matter because he had abandoned her pregnant and alone and now he was here, staring at her in apparent shock. How long had he been back to New York, she wondered. How long had they been roaming about the same city; had he been breathing the same air as her son, walking the same streets as her little boy and not dared to make a move to contact them?

_How long?_

"Katie." He breathed out and finally broke the silence between them. She didn't know how long she stood there in shock, but as she snapped out of it, she realized the kid behind the counter was still waiting impatiently for her to order.

"Yeah, I'd like a hot chocolate and a caramel cappuccino, please."

She found her voice and was proud of herself for sounding firm and steady, instead of the crumbling mess she felt inside. Handing the kid the money, she waited for the change, concentrating on breathing in and out. Her heart was beating wildly out of control and she grabbed the marble surface of the counter to hide her shaky hands. Her knuckles were white with the strain and she prayed that he would just take the hint and leave. She could not deal with this right now. Not with Tyler so close. Not now that she was so happy with Rick. She refused to give in to the dark abyss that was calling out to her, refused to give in to that feeling of hurt and anger and helplessness that tried to claw its way out of her.

"Katie." She heard his voice again and this time she prayed that this was just a sick dream and that she would wake up any second now to Rick's concerned face or her son's little hands shaking her awake, like he had done so many times before. When she felt his hand on her shoulder, something snapped inside of her.

"Don't." Her voice was quiet, but the venom that laced it made it sound almost like a growl.

"Kate, I just…" he tried to get a word, an excuse, whatever in, but she wasn't interested. She just wanted him to leave.

"Don't. Just…" she took a deep breath and gritted her teeth, willing the angry tears that burned behind her eyes to disappear. She would not cry. She would not give him the satisfaction of seeing just how broken she still was. How his handy work had permanently damaged her. "Just leave."

"Mom?" Her son's voice made her look down and she closed her hands tightly on her sides, nails digging into her skin, as she tried to calm down the turmoil going on inside of her before facing her little boy.

"Yeah, sweetie?" she reached out a hand to brush his hair away from his forehead, taking comfort in his familiar hazel green eyes, so much like her own.

"I got us a table all the way over there." He pointed to the back of the back of the small coffee shop. "Is the hot chocolate ready?" He asked slowly, a concerned look now falling over his features as he looked from his mom to the tall man in front of her.

"Almost, Ty. Why don't you run back there and wait for me. I'll wait here for it, alright?" she smiled at him, but the worry remained on his young face. "Please, Tyler. Go wait for me there." She said more firmly and noticed that he had been gripping her coat tightly in his hand. With a nod, he made his way slowly back to the table, looking back at her with a confused frown.

"Is that…?" Josh's voice trailed off and she looked up at him again, fire in her eyes.

"Yes." She said shortly and turned around when her name was called behind the counter, announcing her order was ready.

"How old is he?" He asked quietly and Kate turned back to him.

"I think you can do the math for yourself. Either way, it's none of your business. _He_ is none of your business. He is _my_ son and you will stay away from him. You'll stay away from us." She grabbed the tray with their beverages and walked past him without looking back. Taking a deep breath before approaching the table where her son waited for her, she willed her hands to stop shaking. She could not break down in front of Tyler.

"Mom?" His eyes were fearful and it just made her heart ache even more. "What's going on? Who is that man?"

"Nobody, baby. Don't worry." She smiled at him, sitting down and handed him his hot chocolate. "Blow on it, Ty. It's really, really hot." He still looked at her apprehensively, his eyes searching hers every few seconds as she sipped her cappuccino in silence. Her head hurt, her eyes burned and she ached all over.

"Kate." She almost wanted to scream when she heard his voice again. "Kate, please, you gotta hear me out." She took a deep, fortifying breath before looking up at him again.

"Josh, just leave us alone. This was your choice. Now go." She said calmly and squeezed her son's hand when it slipped into hers under the table.

"She told you to go." Tyler said bravely and Kate squeezed his hand again, looking at him proudly for defending her.

"He doesn't even know about me, does he?" he asked and there was a twinge of sadness in his voice.

She didn't care.

"No, and it will stay that way." She turned back to her son and offered him a reassuring smile. He tried to look brave, but the fear and concern in his eyes gave him away. She lifted his hand to her lips and pressed a soft kiss to it, garnering a small smile from him. When she turned back to where Josh had been, a relieved sigh escaped her lips when she saw he was leaving.

"Are you okay, mom?" Tyler asked her and she took a deep breath, nodding. The tears were welling up in her eyes again and she bit her lip and swallowed hard to keep them at bay.

"Let's just finish here and go home, okay?" She almost pleaded with him and he nodded, returning to his hot chocolate.

They finished their hot drinks in record time and were soon on their way back home. When they entered their apartment, Kate told Tyler to watch some TV or play his PS3 if he wanted. She knew he was concerned, but he just nodded when she said she was going to take a shower.

"Hey, mom?" his timid voice stopped her before she could close the bathroom's door and she turned back to him. "I love you, okay?" He said quietly and she nodded, a tear slowly making its way down her cheek. She prayed he hadn't seen it.

"I love you too, baby. So much." Her voice was barely a whisper and this time she knew she couldn't disguise the shaking that accompanied it. Smiling weakly at him, she closed the door and hurried to turn the shower on.

The sound of the water drowned out her tears.

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><p>That afternoon, Rick and Alexis indulged in a full out laser tag battle. Running around the entire loft (every square inch was game), they laughed, shooting at each other mercilessly until Alexis finally took him out with an uncanny good aim for a kid her age. They were taking a break in the kitchen when he got a text from Kate with a picture of her and Tyler. He was glad that everything seemed to be working out just fine for them. He knew she had been concerned about her son's reaction to their relationship, but he felt fairly confident that he had managed to instill some sort of certainty earlier that he would not hurt his mom and that he was not stealing her away from him. That he really did care about her.<p>

After she sent the picture, they texted back and forth for a while. He was still giddy from their night together and he couldn't wait to have her in his arms again. He thought that his addiction to her couldn't possibly get any worse than it was before, but now that he had actually touched her, felt her body pressed against his, heard her come apart in his arms with his name bubbling out of her lips in the most exquisite form, it had just gotten worse. He missed her already. The desire to touch her was so much more intense now that it physically hurt. He wasn't sure if he had ever felt this way about anyone before, not even with his ex-wives. Was this what falling for someone felt like? He honestly had no clue.

He had sent Alexis up to take a shower and was working on getting dinner ready when his phone rang in his office. He made his way over there and smiled when he saw Kate's name flashing on the screen.

"Hey." His voice was warm and he hoped she was calling to ask if he wanted to do something. Yup, he was _that_ whipped.

"Rick? It's Tyler." The childish voice surprised him and he blinked, confused.

"Hey, buddy. What's up?" He said after a beat. Why would Tyler be calling him from Kate's phone?

"Um…" The boy hesitated and Rick frowned, already getting worried. "It's my mom."

"What happened, Ty?" He tried to ask calmly, but several worst case scenarios were running through his overactive mind, each one more horrific than the other.

"I'm not really sure. She met someone while we were getting hot chocolate. I don't know who he was, but he upset her a lot. I mean, I'd never seen her so angry and sad." He explained really fast, his voice wavering and Rick wondered if the boy was holding back tears.

"Where is she now?" He asked, already grabbing his keys and throwing his jacket on, before stalking out of the office in search of his mother.

"She took a shower when we got home and I saw her crying. Then she said she had a headache and was going to lie down for a bit. But I peeked in her room and I could hear her crying, Rick. I don't know how to make her better." He whispered the last part and Rick could tell there were definitely some tears involved now.

"Ty, listen to me, buddy." He said gently. "I'm on my way there. Alright? Don't worry. Whatever it is, we'll fix it together, okay?" He knocked on his mother's room, waiting for her consent before pushing the door open.

"Okay." He heard Tyler sniffling on the other side and his heart broke for the little guy. Whatever it was, it had hit Kate badly and he was already worried sick about her.

"Alright, now go drink some water and try to stay calm, okay? I'll be right there."

He explained the situation quickly to his mother and asked her to stay with Alexis tonight while he was at Kate's. He knew she had plans, but she told him not to worry and to go see his girlfriend. They would be fine at the loft. Rick thanked her and looked around frantically for his wallet (finding it by the sink, even though he had no idea how it had gotten there) before leaving. He drove as fast as he could to Kate's and ten minutes later, he was parking in front of her building. Thank god it was Sunday and there was pretty much no traffic to delay him. He needed to get to her.

The ride up to her apartment was torturously slow and he thought just how fast things could change in less than twenty four hours. Just last night they had been in that same elevator, making out like teenagers, excited about what was ahead of them for the rest of the night. Now he was nervously running his hand through his hair, not knowing what he was going to find up there. Whatever it was, she had reacted so badly that it had scared Tyler. His shaky voice saying he didn't know what to do kept replaying in his mind.

Stepping out of the elevator, he quickly made his way to her apartment, taking a deep breath before knocking.

"Who is it?" Tyler's voice came out muffled by the door.

"It's Rick, Ty." He answered and Tyler opened the door quickly. He was still wearing the same clothes he had been wearing this morning and his eyes were red rimmed from the tears shed a few minutes before. "Hey, little man. You okay?" He asked, stepping inside.

"Yeah. Thanks for coming. I didn't know who I should call, but since you said earlier that…" he trailed off, looking away. Rick brushed his hair away from his forehead gently.

"You did the right thing, Ty. Don't worry." He reassured and Tyler offered him a sad smile.

"She's in her room." He nodded towards the closed door on their right and Rick nodded.

"I'll see what I can do. Just call me if you need anything, alright?"

After Tyler's nod, Rick walked slowly to Kate's bedroom. Again, memories of their night just a few hours before kept flashing through his mind, contrasting starkly to the reality now. Pushing the door open quietly, he entered the room, finding her curled up in bed. At first, he thought she was sleeping, but then he watched as her hand reached out to brush against her cheek.

"Kate." He said quietly, trying not to startle her, but she jumped at the sound, anyway. "Hi." He greeted her softly when he saw she had recognized him in the semi darkness.

"What are you doing here?" She asked, her voice hoarse, still full of tears. He walked over to the side of her bed, reaching out to her hesitantly. When she didn't shy away from him, he touched her cheek gently.

"Tyler called me. Said someone had upset you and that you were crying. He didn't know what to do." He whispered and closed his eyes when she gasped, probably realizing the turmoil going on with her son. "He's okay. I talked to him. He was just scared and confused."

"Oh God, I shouldn't have left him alone. I just… I couldn't…" Now that his eyes had adjusted to the darkness in the room, he could see that fresh tears were streaming down her cheeks. She wiped them away, annoyed.

"What happened, Kate?" he asked hesitantly, not sure if she would want to talk about it or kick him out for prying.

"I…" She started, but her tears prevented her from continuing. She had sat up in bed when he arrived and Rick decided to risk pulling her close. Watching her suffer like that was breaking his heart. He needed to comfort her somehow. He needed to see her smile. "We went to get some hot chocolate. I told you that, didn't I?" She said, after swallowing hard and taking a deep breath. Rick nodded and sighed in relief when she relaxed against him. He moved around until his back was against the head of the bed and wrapped his arm around her.

"Yeah. That was the last text I got." He murmured against her hair and felt her take a shaky breath.

"We stopped by that French café a couple of blocks away from Central Park. The one we went to the other day?" She looked up at him for confirmation and he nodded, tucking her hair behind her ear gently. "I was texting you back, waiting in line, while Ty went to find us a table. Then I bumped into the guy in front of me by accident and..." She stopped talking abruptly and he looked down at her, touching her cheek, trying to encourage her. "It was Josh." Her voice was so low, so defeated and heartbroken, that Rick himself found that a knot had lodged itself in his throat. When it dawned on him who she was talking about, he felt like he had just been punched in the stomach.

"His father?" he asked incredulously and she nodded, hiding her face in his neck, her tears soaking his skin. "Oh, sweetheart, I'm so sorry." The endearment came out involuntarily and he wasn't even sure she heard it. "Did you talk to him?"

"He tried to talk, but I told him to leave us alone." She said harshly, making him hold her tighter against him. "He saw him, Rick. He saw my son. He had the nerve to ask about him." Her voice was angry and he tried to soothe her, his hands running circles on her back. She was quiet for a couple of minutes and Rick thought she had fallen asleep. "I can't believe he's back in town. God, what if he wants to take Tyler away from me?" She looked up at him and Rick saw the desperate, haunted look in her eyes. "What if…"

"Kate, he's not taking Tyler away. He can't do that. You're his mother and a damn good one at that. No one is going to take your boy away from you, I promise." He smoothed her hair back and tried to convey with his eyes that he was not abandoning her, that she could always count on him. "He has never been present in Tyler's life. Even if he tried to do that, which I seriously doubt, no one in their right mind would take Ty away from his home, from his mother."

"I just…" she sighed heavily and rested her head against his neck again, her arms circling his stomach. "I don't know what to do, Rick. What do I tell my son? How do I explain this to him?" she murmured, lost.

"We'll figure it out, Kate." He pressed a kiss to her forehead and rested his cheek on top of her head. "I'll be with you every step of the way, if you want me to." He promised and felt her nod.

"I do. I need you." She confessed quietly and he was stunned for a moment. Touching her chin, he made her look up at him before touching her lips with his gently, comfortingly.

"You've got me." He whispered in her ear and felt her relax against him.

A few minutes later, her breathing evened out and he stayed with her wrapped in his arms for a while. That feeling that had been bubbling up inside him had almost escaped and he had caught himself at the last second, right before she fell asleep. He had already told Tyler earlier that day, but now he was one hundred percent sure.

_He loved her._

He loved her and he would do everything in his power to protect her.

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><p><strong>AN: Thoughts?**


	16. Chapter 16

**A/N: I know this is shorter than usual. The original plan was for it to be much longer, but I felt that the aftermath of the events that took place last chapter should stand on its own. Even though something relatively big happens in this one, it is also something of a bridge. Next chapter will be the beggining of the second part of this story and it just felt right to have this interlude before what is going to happen next. Hope you'll still enjoy it.**

**Disclaimer: If Castle was mine, those two would've jumped each other a long time ago.**

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><p><strong>Someone Like You<strong>

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><p><strong>Chapter 16<strong>

"Rick?"

Tyler's voice brought him out of his thoughts. He was still holding a sleeping Kate in his arms and – he realized as he checked his phone – had been for the past hour. She had finally succumbed to exhaustion after the rollercoaster of emotions she had experienced that day. Kissing her temple, he gently laid her down on her bed, pulling the comforter over her sleeping form. When she didn't stir, he brushed her hair away from her face and whispered his feelings for her as he pressed a kiss against her hair.

"Is she okay?" Tyler asked him apprehensively and he nodded, guiding the boy out of the room with a hand on his shoulder.

"She is going to be fine, buddy. Don't worry." He assured him as they walked into the kitchen. "You hungry? Want me to make you some dinner?" He asked, after realizing it was almost 8pm and the boy probably hadn't had anything to eat since Kate took him out to get a hot chocolate.

"A little." He nodded, sitting at the kitchen table and bit his lip in an exact replica of his mother. "Did she tell you what happened?" he asked hesitantly, brushing his hair away from his forehead impatiently, while Rick started to look around for something to cook in. "The pans are in there." Tyler pointed to the cupboard under the sink.

"Thanks, Ty. Want to help me?" he offered with a small smile and he shrugged, that sad look still lingering on his face. They worked silently for a few minutes as Rick expertly made him some mac and cheese. "I think she'll tell you everything soon enough, Ty. It's not my place to have this conversation with you." He finally said, after thinking it over how he could skirt the boy's questions. He didn't know how Kate was going to handle this; had no idea if she was going to tell Tyler about Josh's true identity or not.

"But I won't tell anyone." He insisted, looking up at him after drying his hands on a dish cloth. "I kept your secret, didn't I? I didn't tell her you love her because you told me not to."

"I know, buddy, I know. And I appreciate that. But just like I'll tell her when I'm ready, she'll do the same with you, I promise." He served some mac and cheese onto two plates and put them on the table.

"She was so sad, Rick. I don't like seeing my mom sad." He sat at the table and started picking at his food with the fork, pushing it around the plate.

"Neither do I, Tyler." He murmured, mostly to himself. "Come on, buddy. You gotta eat."

"Who was that guy? Was he the one who made her cry?" Tyler kept pushing and Rick sighed heavily. He understood the boy's concern. He really did. But it was just not his choice whether Tyler found out about Josh or not. That was solely in Kate's hands.

"I can tell you this much. From what your mom told me, he was someone who hurt her feelings really bad a long time ago and she hadn't seen him in years." He explained and hoped Tyler would leave it at that. The boy nodded, thoughtfully and started eating his dinner, forehead scrunched up in deep thought.

"Is he going to hurt her again?" he asked quietly after a few minutes and Rick reached out, touching his shoulder comfortingly.

"I'll do everything in my power to stop him from hurting her again." He said earnestly and Tyler nodded, letting out a heavy sigh.

"Okay. Thanks, Rick." He told him seriously, which just endeared him even more to Rick. He really admired the strength of the child's love for his mother and his willingness to protect her from harm. "Mom, you're awake." He looked up, over Rick's shoulder. Rick looked behind him and found Kate leaning against the wall at the entrance of the hallway that led to the two bedrooms of the apartment.

"Hi, guys." She said quietly and made her way into the kitchen. Rick watched her closely, searching her eyes when her gaze locked on his. "Hi, baby." She murmured when she reached Tyler and leaned down to kiss his forehead.

"You okay, mom?" he asked, concerned and she ran her hand through his hair, nodding.

"I'm getting there. Thanks for taking care of me, my little man. I'm so proud of you." She kissed his hair again, lingering for a few seconds, before looking up at Rick. The small smile she sent his way said a lot more than her words ever could. "I see you guys made dinner." She walked over to the cupboard over the sink and took out a plate, serving some mac and cheese for herself. As she made her way back to the table, her hand squeezed Rick's shoulder. He knew she couldn't say anything with Tyler there, but her gesture conveyed the message.

A couple of hours later, Kate put a much calmer Tyler to bed. They had managed to distract him with board games, but Rick knew she was making an effort to make everything look normal for her son. He could see it in her eyes, though, that she was still hurting and that she would hurt for a while yet. The emotional damage Josh caused in her ran a lot deeper than he had expected, even all these years later.

When she returned to the living room, she simply reached out her hand to him, pulling him up from the couch, and led him back to her bedroom. Closing the door behind her, Rick wrapped his arms around her when she immediately pulled him into a hug.

"I don't even know what to say." She murmured in his ear, hugging him tighter. "I just… thank you." She breathed and he pulled away slightly to look at her, his hand caressing her cheek.

"I just don't want you to hurt like that." He said quietly, touching her lips with his. "I can't stand to see you hurting."

"Thanks for not telling Tyler about Josh." She tucked her head into the crook of his neck and breathed him in.

"Not my secret to tell." He whispered, his arms tightening around her, his love for her threatening to spill out of his lips. Then he realized she had most likely overheard their conversation earlier and his stomach suddenly felt like it was in knots. She pulled away and rested her forehead on his. "How much of that did you hear?" he asked curiously.

"Enough." She told him, a smile tugging at the corner of his lips. "I don't know what I did to deserve you."

"Right back at you, detective." He smiled back and pressed a lingering kiss to her lips.

"Can you stay?" She asked quietly after a while. "I don't want to be alone tonight." She admitted and sucked in a shaky breath.

"Of course. Just let me call my mother so she can stay with Alexis." He tucked her hair behind her ear lovingly and kissed her nose.

He called Martha and explained the situation without giving many details and watched Kate's movements as she got ready for bed. Ending the call, he took off his shoes and jeans, and got into bed with her. She immediately rolled onto her side, her head on his shoulder and wrapped an arm around his stomach. He turned his head and kissed her forehead, his arm soothingly running up and down her back. She leaned up and kissed his lips, sucking on his bottom lip gently.

"I love you too, you know." She whispered, resting her forehead on his. "I really, really do."

He closed his eyes and allowed her words to wash over him. He suddenly found himself unable to speak, so he just pulled her closer until she was lying on top of him and hugged her tightly, his breath mingling with hers. She seemed to understand his actions (as she always did) and just nuzzled his neck, pressing a kiss to his skin.

They stayed wrapped in each other's arms like that for a few minutes until he turned his head and kissed her cheek.

"I love you." He whispered in her ear, his voice finally returning, but her breath had evened out already.

She had fallen asleep.

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><p>Kate woke up to her alarm the following morning. Stretching lazily, she grabbed her phone to turn the blaring sound off and check the time. It was already 6:30 and she groaned inwardly. She had slept through the first alarm apparently and now she couldn't even enjoy an extra ten-minute nap, snuggled into Rick's side. With a sigh, she rubbed the sleep off her eyes and turned to her side to look at Rick, who was still fast asleep. The world could be ending and the man wouldn't wake up, she thought with an amused smile.<p>

Sitting up, she allowed herself a moment to watch him sleep. He looked like a little boy, so completely different from the concerned man she had seen the night before.

_He loved her._

This was probably entirely too soon to be feeling like this, but God help her, she loved him right back. She had never thought she could feel this intensely for someone so quickly, but Rick had proved her wrong. She used to be so jaded after her horrible experience with Josh that she spent years thinking that real love didn't exist; that was it was something that belonged in a Hollywood romantic comedy, but never happened in real life. Or if it did, it would most certainly never happen to her. She was cursed, damaged, broken. Irreparable.

Love – real, honest to God love - was something that she had thought she would never be able to experience. And deep down, she wasn't even sure she wanted to. The deeper you felt for someone, the harder the fall would be when that person left. She had learned that when her mother was murdered, even though she knew and understood that it hadn't been her fault. Josh, on the other hand, had been one hell of a reality check.

But Rick had made her fall for him, fast and hard. It had been about six weeks since that day at the hospital. _Six weeks_. And yet, here they were and she honestly could not imagine her life without him anymore. How twisted was that, she wondered to herself, tracing the contour of his face with her finger. Leaning down, she pressed a quick kiss to his cheek and got out of bed, making her way to the bathroom. She would have to wake up Tyler for school soon, but she could let him sleep a few more minutes while she got ready for work.

After taking a quick shower, she returned to her room to pick out an outfit. Once she was dressed, she stopped in front of the mirror and bit her lip. Even with makeup on, she still looked tired, she realized, biting her lip.

"You look beautiful." A sleepy voice said behind her and she turned around to find Rick lying on his stomach, hugging her pillow with a small smile playing on his lips. She smiled back and shook her head.

"Morning, sleepyhead." She leaned down and gave him a quick peck on the lips.

"Sleepyhead? It's not even" he reached out and grabbed his phone from the nightstand. "It's not even 7, Kate. Lemme sleep." He threw the phone on the bed and hugged her pillow again, closing his eyes.

"I didn't wake you up, Mr. Castle." She grinned at him and tried to turn away to return to the mirror for a last once over, but he held onto her hand, pulling her down onto the bed.

"Morning." He tugged on her hand until she leaned down enough that he could capture her lips with his. "You okay?" he asked, tucking her hair behind her ear, his hand lingering on her neck afterwards. She nodded and nuzzled into his hand.

"Almost there." She murmured as he played with her hair. "Thanks for staying, for taking care of me and Ty." He nodded with slight smile and pulled her down to him again.

"I love you." He whispered in her ear, placing a kiss on her neck. "I'd do it all over again in a heartbeat."

She couldn't fight the smile at his words and pulled him into a deep kiss, trying to pour into it all the avalanche of feelings that were bubbling up inside of her. He made her _feel_ again. That in itself was one hell of an accomplishment in her book.

He made her happy.

"Love you too." She said breathlessly against his lips and pulled away, only to gravitate back to him for another kiss. "And I need to finish getting ready and wake up Tyler for school." She said after a minute with a hand in his chest to hold him down to the bed.

"You're no fun." He pouted and she rolled her eyes at him, standing up.

"You can get a few more minutes of sleep if you want. We're not leaving for another forty minutes at least." She told him and he took hold of her hand before she could go very far, placing a kiss on her skin.

"Are you sure you're okay?" he asked and she could see the concern in his eyes.

"I will be. Yesterday was just… hard, you know?" she squeezed his hand, not eve wanting to think about it. "But Tyler is here and you're here…" she trailed off and looked away. "I'll be fine, eventually." She finished and he held her gaze for a moment, before pressing his lips to her skin again.

She offered him a small smile and hoped it conveyed how grateful she was to have him in her life.

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><p><strong>AN: Thoughts?**


	17. Chapter 17

**A/N: I'm sorry this one took longer to come out, but it's finally here and I really hope you guys like it. Thank you so much for the incredible feedback and amazingly sweet reviews. You all rock my world.**

**Disclaimer: Castle is not mine. No, really.**

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><p><strong>Someone Like You<strong>

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><p><strong>Chapter 17<strong>

"No."

"But, Kate..." He whined and she glared at him, crossing her arms in front of her chest. They were in his office at the loft and she was leaning against his desk while he sat on the couch across from it.

"No, Rick. It's too dangerous."

"But you do it every day." He countered and she sighed heavily.

He had been teasing her with this new character he was creating and tonight he had finally told her that it was going to be based on her. Even though she was flattered and excited about the prospect of her favorite author (who also happened to be her boyfriend) writing a whole new series of books based on her, she was less than thrilled when he asked if he could tag along for a few cases to do research.

"Yes, and I've had years of training for that. You haven't. It's not like in the movies, Rick. You know that. You know how dangerous it can be." She tried to make him see sense, to realize that it was not a good idea, no matter how excited he was about it. She knew she wouldn't be able to concentrate with him there following her around. How was she supposed to do her job, knowing that someone she loved was in the line of fire?

"But Captain Montgomery has cleared it already. It wouldn't be forever, Kate. Just a few cases and I promise I'll do everything you say." He stood up and walked towards her, reaching out to take her hand in his. "He could assign me to someone else if that's what you want, but I'd rather be with you." He gave her the puppy dog look and she rolled her eyes, trying to fight a smile. "Come on, please?"

"You'll do whatever I tell you to do?" she asked, grudgingly meeting his eyes.

"I will, I swear." He touched her cheek, his thumb caressing her skin gently. "I'll be really, really careful and try my best to not get in the way."

"Promise?"

"Cross my heart." He rested his forehead on hers and she sighed, closing her eyes. This was such a bad idea.

"I don't know what I'd do if something happened to you on my watch." She confessed, letting out a breath. He kissed her lips for a moment, lingering on her bottom lip for a few seconds.

"That's why I'm signing all those papers I showed you. Nothing is going to happen, but if it does, it won't be your fault."

"It's not that easy, Rick, and you know that." She looked away from his intense gaze and he pulled her into his arms, making her melt into his embrace. He always had that power over her and that was exactly what worried her. How was she supposed to do her job with a distraction like that?

"It's just for research and if something is too dangerous, I'll stay behind. I won't get in the way of you doing your job, Kate." He touched her chin, making her look at him again and she bit her lip, unsure. "Just for a few weeks and then I'll leave you alone at work. Not that you'll get rid of me, of course. I'll still bug you at home." He offered her a teasing grin, but she still wasn't sold on the idea.

"I don't know, Rick." She shook her head and stepped away from him, trying to clear her head. She couldn't think straight when he was this close. "Tell you what, we'll give it a try for _one_ case." She suggested, already regretting it when he beamed at her happily.

"I'll make you proud of me, love, you'll see. Who knows, I might even turn out to be a decent homicide detective myself." His smile was so big and contagious that she found herself chuckling at his excitement.

"I doubt you'll be getting an NYPD badge anytime soon, stud. And this whole calling me love thing? That cannot happen at the precinct, as much as I love to hear it." She grinned against his lips when he pulled her in for a deep, breathtaking kiss. "It's Beckett or Detective for you while I'm working." She told him, breathless when they broke apart. "Are we clear?"

"Yes." He breathed and kissed her again backing her against the wall behind the desk. She groaned when he pressed his body against hers, his thigh fitting between hers in the most deliciously arousing way. "God, watching you work is going to be such a turn-on." He groaned into her ear and she bit her lip to keep a moan in.

"We can't do this now, Rick. The kids…" Her voice came out huskily and he pressed her harder against the wall, his thigh creating a world shattering friction for her.

"Mother took them out for dessert, remember? I told her we needed some privacy to talk about this." His teeth nibbled on her earlobe and then travelled down to her neck, eliciting a moan from her when he sucked on her skin gently, his tongue joining in on the fun. "I think we still have a few minutes if you're game." He whispered in her ear and she brought his lips back up to meet hers. She couldn't have enough of him. His taste, his scent, everything about him drove her crazy. They had been doing this for a little over two months now and he still made her heart flutter whenever he was close to her.

"Oh, I'm definitely game." She murmured against his lips, hand already working on his belt buckle.

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><p>Rick was supposed to start his ride along on the following Thursday. He had spent the week discussing everything and signing papers with his lawyer regarding his time spent researching the NYPD homicide detectives and his responsibilities and rights while doing so. When Thursday morning rolled around, Kate was feeling slightly anxious about the whole thing. She had no idea how everything was going to work out or how she was going to react having someone watching her work. Just the thought of it was unnerving, even if it was Rick and she trusted him and loved him.<p>

That morning, she made an effort to look extra good to go to work. Picking out a green V-neck shirt that made her eyes stand out even more, she matched it with a pair of jeans and her favorite pair of heels. She knew Rick loved that her eyes changed colors depending on the day, but she also knew that he preferred when her eyes decided to be green, so she was hoping that would be the case today. She felt a little silly dressing up for work just because of a guy, but he was going to be watching her and, well, she wanted to make a good impression.

Not that she was on board with the idea of him following her around – she still had her restrictions about that, mind you – but she would rather he'd stay with her than follow someone else. At least if he was tagging along with her and the boys, she could try to keep him out of harm's way. Just the thought that something might happen to him out on the field made her sick to her stomach.

She dropped Tyler off at school, making plans with him to go shopping for Rick's birthday present tonight. He was going to have a small get together tomorrow night at the loft – and she really hoped it was small; she wasn't sure she could deal with the whole being a celebrity's girlfriend issue just yet – and he had invited the boys, Lanie and her father to the party. She wasn't really sure how she felt about having her dad over for her boyfriend's birthday party, but they had been dating for a couple of months now and maybe it was time they got to know each other. She knew Tyler couldn't stop talking about Rick and Alexis whenever her dad went over for dinner, so that particular development was bound to happen eventually.

She hadn't told her dad about seeing Josh that day, over a month ago. Back then, her father was still battling alcoholism, but when he had found out that she had been abandoned pregnant and alone by her husband, he wanted to hunt him down and kill him. She was sure that telling him Josh was back in town and had been for God knows how long was not going to go well.

In the end, she was glad that it had just been that one time encounter, as she wasn't sure she could handle more than that. The wound Josh had inflicted on her was still fresh, even though it had been almost nine years since that fateful day when he walked out and never came back. Just thinking about it made her heart ache, so she put it to the back of her mind as she stepped out of the elevator at the homicide department of the 12th Precinct.

Ryan and Esposito were already there battling their own mountains of paperwork. She was dreading her own share of it, but since they didn't have any active investigations going on, she might as well use that time to do it, as much as she despised it. Saying hello to the boys, she put her purse in her desk drawer and hung her jacket on her chair, before making her way to the break room for a much needed dose of caffeine. Rick would be here any second now and even though she had no reason to, she found herself slightly nervous and giddy at the same time, her heart fluttering in her chest.

Pouring some coffee in her mug, she took a sip and grimaced at the taste. It was really, really bad coffee, but the shot of caffeine to her system was heavenly. She was well aware she was addicted to the stuff and she was not even ashamed.

"I've got something better for you, detective." She heard his voice and a smile immediately tugged on her lips as she turned around to face him. "Morning." He said with that ridiculously cute boyish smile as he watched her, leaning against the doorsill.

"Good morning, Mr. Castle." His eyes sparkled happily and she bit her lip to suppress the smile and the need to jump him right then and there. He walked over to her and handed her the warm cup of coffee, which she accepted gratefully.

"Can I kiss you good morning if there's no one around?" he asked quietly, his arms efficiently trapping her between his body and the counter. She looked around the room and nodded, after making sure the blinds were shut and the bullpen still relatively empty. He pressed his lips to hers in a chaste kiss and she sighed contently. They hadn't seen each other in two days and she had missed him terribly. "Hi." He whispered, kissing her jaw and finally stepping away.

"Hi, yourself." She smiled and took a sip of the cappuccino he had brought her, moaning at the taste. "This is _so_ good. Where did you get it?"

"That's for me to know, detective. As long as I don't tell you where the coffee comes from, you'll keep coming back for more." He grinned at her and she rolled her eyes.

"Come on, writer boy. Let me show you around so you can get this research of yours started." She tugged on his shirt, making him follow her out of the break room.

"Bossing me around already. I'm going to love it here, I can feel it." He teased and she turned around, narrowing her eyes at him.

"Shut up, Castle." She shook her head, hiding a smile. "Come on."

* * *

><p>"Hello?" His voice sounded so groggy and sleepy that Kate felt bad about waking him up.<p>

"Hey, we just got a fresh one. You in?" She asked, after dropping Tyler off at school a little earlier than usual. Thank God the call had come in at a half decent hour, so she didn't have to bother her poor neighbor, Mrs. Johnson, asking her to watch Tyler for a couple of hours before she could come back and drive him to school.

"Yeah, yeah. Lemme just…" he yawned loudly on the other end of the line and Kate chuckled, shaking her head. "Lemme just get dressed and wake up properly."

"Think you'll be ready to go in fifteen? I'll pick you up."

"Yeah, I'll see you soon." She heard him moving around, probably throwing the comforter off of him and getting out of bed.

"And Rick?"

"Mhmm?"

"I missed you last night." She said quietly with a small smile and could practically hear him smiling on the other end.

"Missed you too, love." He replied warmly and she felt that familiar tug in the pit of her stomach. She really did love him.

"Now go get dressed."

"Yes, sir, detective, sir." He said mockingly and she hung up, laughing quietly to herself.

Yesterday had been a fairly quiet day and Rick had just hung around at the precinct for a few hours. They didn't have much to do, except paper work, so she showed him around the homicide department, told him a little about the investigation process, but that was as far as it had gone. Around noon, they ordered lunch and ate with Ryan and Esposito. She was extremely glad that her boyfriend got along with her friends, but Rick and the boys had become fast friends over the past couple of months. Their weekly basketball game and Xbox marathon had become sacred and Kate didn't even feel awkward about seeing her fellow detectives hanging out at the loft anymore. It gave her time to hang out with Martha and the kids.

She hoped this new case wouldn't put a damper to the festivities tonight. She knew how much Rick was looking forward to this and had been talking about it all week about how awesome it was going to be to have everyone at the loft for a party. She and Tyler had gone shopping the night before for his present and ended up getting him a new Xbox game that he had been talking about for weeks. He really was a complete child inside and Kate loved that about him. Tyler was really excited about playing it with him and couldn't wait to give him the present. The game was more Tyler's gift to Rick than anything else, since she had already picked out his present weeks ago. She wanted it to be something special and after thinking about it for a while, she had decided on something she hoped he would like and treasure.

Parking in front of his building, she smiled when she saw him already making his way to the car. He looked a lot more awake than he had sounded over the phone and she was sure this was partly because he was so excited about going to his first murder scene. She rolled her eyes, chuckling, and leaned over to open the passenger door for him.

"Morning." He greeted her, settling on the passenger seat. She smiled, accepting the cup of coffee he handed to her and pulled him in by the shirt for a kiss.

"Morning." She sucked on his bottom lip for a moment, nipping it with her teeth, and grinned when he groaned against her lips and deepened the kiss. "Happy birthday." She murmured, before kissing him again.

"Thanks, love." He whispered and rested his forehead on hers. "Have I mentioned how much I love you?" he grinned slightly as she captured his lips with hers again.

"Love you too." She gave him one last peck on the lips and settled in behind the wheel. "Come on, birthday boy. Ready for your first crime scene?" She grinned at his excitement as he nodded, taking her hand, his fingers tangling with hers.

"So ready. This is already the coolest birthday ever."

She drove off and they arrived at the scene ten minutes later. The victim was a young woman, barely out of her teens and she watched him freeze next to her at the gruesome sight, as they entered the apartment on the Upper West Side. It was a fancy apartment building and Ryan had already told her the girl was the senator's youngest daughter. Kate knew this was going to be a big case and hoped against hope they could solve it quickly. Those high profile kinds of murders always hit the news hard and she absolutely hated that part. Dealing with the press was something she had never gotten used to; the way they hounded her and her colleagues for information, not even respecting the fact that there was a family grieving the loss of a loved one.

She found Lanie near the body and got all the preliminary information from her. The victim had been shot five times in the chest and a pool of blood had formed around her on the floor as her frozen eyes stared up at the ceiling. She was a pretty girl too, Kate thought, as she squatted down next to the medical examiner to check the body.

After assigning Ryan and Esposito a few tasks, she walked back to Rick, who had been watching her closely the whole time she had been assessing her crime scene.

"You okay there?" she asked quietly, leading him out of the apartment. She needed to get back to the precinct and notify the family.

"Yeah, just…" He let out breath and shook his head. "It was just the initial shock. I'm fine now." He offered her a small smile and she squeezed his hand once they were inside the elevator. "There was just so much blood." He commented quietly, mostly to himself, and she threaded her fingers through his, trying to give him some sort of comfort.

"You never get used to it. It still gets to me whenever I cross that yellow tape up there. Every single time. It always brings me back to when my mom…" she couldn't finish and felt his arm wrap around her shoulders and pull her closer. He pressed a kiss to her temple. "But it's just the initial shock, like you said. Then you get over it and do your job."

"You are amazing for doing this." He captured her lips with his for a moment and pulled away just as the doors opened. They walked back to her car at a decent distance from each other, as there were uniforms everywhere, but Kate couldn't hide the smile playing on her lips if her life had depended on it.

* * *

><p>"I'm hungry. Are you guys hungry?" Rick interrupted her intense gaze at the murder board by touching her arm.<p>

"Yeah. I think we could use a break." Ryan offered hopefully and she turned to him, his blue eyes begging with her. She shook her head and turned back to the murder board to hide a smile. Okay, so maybe sometimes she got so wrapped up in a case that she forgot some basic necessities like eating.

"Boss, time for lunch?" Esposito asked and she nodded, pushing off the desk she had been sitting on for the past twenty minutes.

"Is she always like that?" She heard Rick ask the boys and rolled her eyes, while grabbing her purse and jacket.

"What, forgetting to eat and nearly starving us to death? All the time." She heard the teasing tone in Esposito's voice and rolled her eyes again.

"I can hear you, you know." She narrowed her eyes at him and he simply grinned at her innocently. "Can we get you guys anything?" She asked as Rick helped her into her jacket.

"Burger and fries, if you're going to Remy's." Ryan asked and she nodded as Esposito ordered the same.

"We'll be back soon. Call me if anything comes up." She told them and let Rick lead her to the elevator. When the doors closed, he wrapped his arms around her waist and nuzzled her neck. "How's your birthday so far?" she asked quietly, tilting her head to give him more access.

"Amazing." He sucked on her pulse point for a moment, earning a quiet groan from her. Having him so close all the time and not being able to touch him was driving her slightly crazy, making her nerve endings go into overdrive when he did things like this. "Do you think you guys will be able to make it tonight?"

"To the party?" She asked and felt him nod. "I hope so. Tyler can't wait to give you your present." She pulled away to look at him.

"Yeah? What about you?" he grinned and bit down gently on her bottom lip, his tongue soothing it afterwards.

"My present is different." She whispered in his ear and pulled on his earlobe with her teeth.

"As long as I get to unwrap _you_ tonight, I'll be a happy man." His desire was evident in his eyes and she pulled him in for a deep kiss, breaking apart when she heard the ding indicating they had reached the first floor.

"Oh, you can count on that." She smirked at him and walked out of the elevator with a little more sway in her hips, with him following closely behind. He grabbed her hand and lifted his eyebrows, asking if it was okay. She nodded, entwining their fingers together. It was his birthday; she could give him a break, right?

"You are an evil, evil woman, Katherine Beckett." He whispered in her ear and she grinned, bumping his shoulder with hers.

"You have no idea, Mr. Castle." She replied and laughed when he bit back a groan. "You love me, anyway." She opened the door and was about to step out when a familiar voice interrupted her movement.

"Katie!" She heard someone calling her and turned towards the sound, her grip on Rick's hand tightening exponentially when she saw who it was. The color drained from her face and it felt like her breath had been punched out of her lungs.

Oh, no. Not now. Not again.

Shit.

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><p><strong>AN: Reviews are my drug of choice. I'm completely addicted and not ashamed to admit it. So, tell me what you think?**


	18. Chapter 18

**A/N: Have I mentioned how awesome you all are? Because you truly, truly are and I love you guys for all your feedback and support. Thank you so much.**

**Disclaimer: For the millionth time, Castle is not mine.**

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><p><strong>Someone Like You<strong>

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><p><strong>Chapter 18<strong>

He was still reeling from the feel of her mouth on his, her body pressed deliciously against his and their flirty banter when suddenly her hand gripped his tightly and pulled him out of his thoughts of having his way with her right there at the precinct. It almost felt like she was determined to break all the bones in his hand, but she had also gone silent all of a sudden and that playful aura that had been surrounding her since they had stepped into the elevator upstairs was gone.

Chancing a glance at her, he was shocked to find her pale and with wide eyes, looking at something behind them. He followed her gaze and his eyes fell on a tall man (really, really tall), good looking too, he thought with a slight jealousy. But from the look on Kate's face, he didn't think he needed to be jealous at all because she looked like she was doing her best not to run away in the opposite direction. And that was really saying something when it came to Kate Beckett.

"Kate?" he called her quietly and she seemed to snap out of her daze and look at him, shock, fear and uncertainty written clearly all over her face. Whoever this guy was, he had really done a number on her.

"Detective Beckett, Dr. Davidson here was looking for you, wanted to go upstairs to see you. Do you know him?" One of the uniforms at reception told her and he watched as Kate swallowed hard and nodded stiffly. "Alright. Looks like you don't even need to go upstairs, Doctor." The young uniform smiled at him and the man nodded his thanks.

"You made detective, Katie. That's great." Dr. Davidson – and Rick had a strong suspicion of who he really was – turned to them and smiled at her.

"What are you doing here?" she asked shortly, her voice barely above a whisper. Rick was surprised to hear the barely concealed anger in her tone; he had never seen her like this.

"I…" The doctor ran a hand through his hair nervously. "Can we go somewhere and talk? In private." He said and her hand tightened in Rick's once again. He ran his thumb gently on her skin, hoping it would somewhat calm her down.

"I don't have anything to say to you, Josh." She gritted her teeth and Rick looked at her, realizing for the first time that tears were welling up in her eyes. She had just confirmed his suspicions on who the mysterious man was and now he had to restrain his own anger toward him, for Kate's sake.

"Katie, please. At least hear me out. That's all I ask." He was almost begging her and if Rick hadn't known what the bastard had done to her and Tyler, he would have almost felt bad for him.

"You've got a one minute. Go." She said and Rick fought against the instinct to pull her into a hug, comfort her, something, anything to take away the pain evident in her eyes. He squeezed her hand and she looked at him, her eyes telling him about the tsunami of emotions that were running through her at that moment. He brought her hand to his lips and placed a kiss on the back of it, earning a small, sad smile from her.

"I know I made a mistake back then, Katie. I know that. I…" The doctor took a deep breath and Rick felt he should be shielding Kate from his words. "I just wasn't ready. But then I saw you and… and my son that day and I realized how much I've missed."

"_He is not your son_." She hissed at him, eyes closed, hand squeezing the life out of Rick's. "You made that choice. You walked out of our lives when we needed you and now you have no right to just waltz back in here and ask for a second chance. _You have no right_." She spat out. "You don't even know his name, do you?"

He at least had the good grace to look ashamed, Rick thought to himself, as he caressed her skin with his thumb.

"I want to fix that, Katie. I really do. He looks so much like you." He breathed, as if in awe and Rick tried hard not to roll his eyes at him. But then again, the good doctor seemed so focused on convincing Kate that he could be a door for all he cared.

"No." She said, the finality in her tone unmistakable. "Let's go." She told Rick and started to pull him towards the door.

"Katie, he doesn't have to grow up without a father. Not anymore. Let me fix it." Josh called out after her and Rick felt her stop, his words clearly shaking her. He watched as the doctor ran after them and grabbed Kate's arm. That was Rick's limit.

"Back off." He said quietly, the venom in his voice obvious.

"This doesn't concern you." The doctor dismissed him and turned back to Kate, who was all but boiling with anger now. "Katie, please."

"Josh, just leave right now. Get the hell out of our lives." She said slowly, her eyes ablaze. "We don't need you. We have been doing just fine for the past eight years. Yeah, that's how old he is. His name is Tyler. Tyler James Beckett. He is _my son_ and I don't want you anywhere near him. Are we clear?" She finished in a whisper, but it almost felt like she had just punched the doctor in the face, he looked so stunned.

"Katie, just give me a chance. We can make this work again." He insisted, but Kate just shook her head.

"No." she said coldly and Rick was proud to hear her voice so firm when he knew she was probably on the verge of breaking down. "Rick, let's please just get out of here." She turned to him and whispered and he nodded, wrapping his arm around her waist, pulling her closer in an attempt to comfort her.

As they walked out, Rick looked back and watched as Josh's shoulders slumped in defeat. Serves him right, he thought with a vengeance. He deserved much worse for what he did to the woman he loved, who was currently trying to fight the tears threatening to escape. She looked straight ahead, but he could see her chin quivering slightly and her jaw tightening as she gritted her teeth to keep the tears at bay. He wanted so badly to take all her pain away. He knew how she felt, having dealt with Meredith's lack of interest for Alexis, but this was probably a whole new level of pain.

They walked in silence for a few blocks, his arm cradling her to his side tightly, paparazzi be damned. Right now he just needed to comfort her, to make her feel better. When her shoulders started shaking slightly, he stopped and pulled her into a convenient located alley that was just a few feet away. Rick pulled her into his arms when they were somewhat secluded, and hugged her tightly, whispering in her ear that it was going to be okay and that he loved her. Her arms wrapped around his waist and she pulled him as close to her body as she could, her face burrowed into his neck as her sobs rocked through his body, her pain becoming his.

He let her cry for as long as she needed, never letting her go. She needed to feel safe and loved and that was what he was aiming for. A good twenty minutes later, she pulled away from him, her eyes puffy and red rimmed.

"I'm sorry." She whispered and he shook his head, his hand cupping her cheek.

"You have nothing to be sorry for, love. Don't even think that." He assured her and she nodded, her chin quivering slightly as another tear slipped out. He brushed it away with his thumb and leaned in to press a kiss to her tear stained cheek.

"I just didn't want you to see that. I can't believe he had the nerve to come asking for another chance." She took a deep, calming breath, but it still came out shakily. "And on your birthday of all days. I'm sorry." She shook her head, but he stopped her, framing her face with his hands, his eyes locking on hers.

"Stop apologizing, Kate. I don't care if it's my birthday. Not when you're in pain. I honestly feel like coming back there and beating the shit out of him for everything he's done to you and Ty." He pressed his lips against hers for a moment and rested his forehead on hers. "I love you. That means that I'm here through the good stuff and the bad stuff. You've got me for as long as you want me. Alright?"

She nodded, another tear slipping out from the corner of her eye, but this time he could see the pain being overshadowed by what he liked to believe was her love for him.

"I love you." She whispered, her hold on him tightening. "So much, Rick. So much." She let out a breath and hid her face against his neck, breathing him in.

"We're going to be okay, Kate. I promise." He pressed a kiss to her hair and held her close. He would stay there with her for as long as she wanted.

* * *

><p>"You're going to be late for your own party if you don't leave now." She told him, stretching her arms over her head. It was past 8pm already and they were still nowhere on the senator's daughter's murder.<p>

After crying her eyes out in Rick's arms earlier, she had managed to compartmentalize her emotions and put Josh and everything his presence brought out in a little drawer at a dark corner at the very recess of her mind. She needed to get back to work and catch this girl's killer and she couldn't do that when she was having an emotional breakdown. Rick had been great, though. Even though it was his birthday and she had been quiet and withdrawn for the rest of the day, he hadn't pushed her, hadn't been asking incessantly if she was fine. She really appreciated that he was giving her space, that he understood what she was going through.

Something that Josh had said, however, had stuck. Tyler didn't have to grow up without a father. As tempted as she may have been at the promise of her little boy actually having a father figure to look up to, she couldn't trust that Josh would keep his word. What if she let Tyler get to know him, only to have Josh bail on them again later, leaving her son brokenhearted? It just wasn't worth it. But then again, the fact that he didn't have a father figure in his life stuck out to her like a sore thumb. He was growing up fast and he needed someone to look up to.

Looking at Rick now as he watched her, eyebrows raised at what she had said, she wondered if maybe she had already found that father figure, however forward that was of her to even be thinking about. Richard Castle was an amazing father and son; he loved her and definitely cared about her kid. This could be it. But this could also go horribly wrong and Tyler would end up brokenhearted either way.

God, why did this have to be so hard?

"I'm not leaving you here to work through the night by yourself." He narrowed his eyes at her and she rolled hers at him.

"I'm not. I just want to check a few more things. You can go ahead and entertain your guests and I'll come by in an hour or two." She insisted, but he just shook his head. "Ryan and Esposito won't let me stay here long, right, boys?" She turned to her fellow detectives for support.

"Don't worry, bro. We'll escort her to your party soon enough. And we won't be long either." Esposito reassured him and Kate sighed in relief. As much as she loved Rick and he had been more than amazing today, she needed a minute alone to sort out her thoughts and she couldn't do that with him watching her every move.

"Alright. Don't let her convince you that you have to work through the night." Rick told the boys and Kate chuckled, shaking her head.

"Tell Tyler I'll be there soon, okay?" She said when he leaned down to give her a kiss. "And thank you for earlier." She whispered and their lips touched.

"You hanging in there?" he murmured, pulling back slightly to look in her eyes.

"Yeah, don't worry. Go enjoy your party, birthday boy." She grinned at him and he kissed her again, just an innocent peck as they were well aware that they had an audience.

"You're staying over tonight, right?" he asked quietly and she nodded as he pushed her hair back behind her ear.

"Left my bag there when we dropped Tyler off with your mom earlier."

"Alright. Don't take too long. Love you." He pressed his lips to hers once again and stood up.

"Love you too." She said quietly and he winked at her, walking towards the elevator.

"You two are so sickeningly sweet you make my teeth hurt." Ryan commented after Rick had disappeared into the elevator.

"Shut up, Honey Milk." She threw a pencil at him and felt a little more comforted at her partners' laugh.

* * *

><p>"Mom!"<p>

Tyler came running towards her as soon as she entered the loft. Rick had greeted them at the door, kissing her chastely on the lips and was now leading the boys and Lanie towards the bar. Her son crashed into her and almost made her lose her balance with his enthusiasm. She laughed in joy at seeing her little boy and picked him up, hugging him close. She hadn't had much time earlier when she had picked him up from school and dropped him off at Rick's with Martha and Alexis, but now all the emotions Josh had brought out of her earlier came dangerously close of resurfacing at her son's body pressed against hers.

"Hi, baby. How are you doing?" She showered his face with kisses, making him giggle happily and he threw his arms around her neck.

"Good. We played laser tag after you dropped me off. I finally beat Lexi." He grinned proudly and she smiled at him.

"I'm so proud of you." She told him and his smile only got bigger. "Are you having fun so far?"

"Yeah. Rick loved his present, by the way. He promised we're going to have an epic Xbox battle first thing in the morning." He said happily. "We are staying over tonight, right?"

"Yes, we are." He grinned at her response and gave her a peck in the cheek.

"Awesome. Hey, Lexi! Guess what!" He called out as he struggled to get down from Kate's arms. "Love you, mom." He added before running off into the living room.

Kate shook her head, amused, at her child's energy and excitement and made her way to where Rick had set up the bar at the kitchen island. Greeting her friends again, she accepted a glass of wine from Rick and leaned into his side, willing herself to relax. She was not going to let Josh get her down.

* * *

><p>"He is finally out." She sighed, entering Rick's bedroom. Tyler had been a bundle of energy all night and she had finally managed to get him to sleep, a little over 1am.<p>

"Lots of sugar and excitement." Rick commented, taking off his shoes and throwing himself on the bed. "God, I'm so tired." He moaned and she chuckled.

"Welcome to my life." She teased, taking off her necklace with her mother's ring and her father's watch before placing them on his nightstand. "You still up for one more present?" she asked, stepping out of her heels, moaning in pleasure when her feet hit the ground.

"From you? Definitely." He sat up in bed, eyeing her up and down, desire reflecting clearly in his gaze. Kate laughed and shook her head.

"We'll get to that soon enough, stud. I have something I wanted to give you." She finished quietly, suddenly feeling nervous about this whole thing. Maybe this was a bad idea.

"Well, whatever it is, I'm sure I'll love it, Kate." He reassured her as if sensing her hesitation.

She grabbed her bag and pulled a wrapped parcel from it. Taking a deep breath, she sat down on the bed next to him and handed him the gift, her nerves going into overdrive. God, please let him understand and treasure this as much as she did.

He looked at her expectantly and curiously as he took the present from her hands. Carefully unwrapping it, she watched as his eyes widened and he looked back at her, confused. Sitting on his lap was her tattered copy of the very first book she had ever read written by him, the only one she had ever gotten signed.

"Kate." He breathed, apparently not really knowing what to say. She touched his hand and offered him a small smile.

"Open it." She encouraged him and watched as his eyes ran over the words on the first page, his handwriting cursively spelling out the words she had needed so badly to hear back then.

_Dear Kate,_

_Things will get better. Keep your head up and smile._

_Richard Castle_

"What…" he swallowed hard and Kate bit her lip, still questioning the wisdom of her actions. "I… when was this? When did I sign this for you?"

"Almost nine years ago." She said quietly, a small wistful smile playing in her lips as she laced her fingers through his. "I waited in line for hours that day. Took the day off and went to your book signing over at 5th Avenue."

"Almost nine… but you were…"

"Pregnant, yeah. I had just found out. Josh had left about a month before and I was probably ten weeks into it." She took a deep breath and looked down at their joined hands before continuing. "My life was falling apart, but coming home to read your stories made my days a little better. I started after mom died and only held onto them more after Josh left and I was alone and pregnant and dealing with my father's problems. Because all your stories had a happy ending, justice was always served, the killer was always punished. I figured that if I couldn't have mine, at least I could lose myself for a couple of hours in your words." She looked up at him and found his eyes had welled up with tears.

"I don't remember this. I… I'm sorry I don't remember." He pleaded with her, but she shook her head, dismissing it and placed a kiss on the corner of his mouth. "Why did I write this? Did you say anything about what was going on then?" He scooted over to the head of the bed and pulled her with him. She settled between his legs, relaxing against his chest.

"You asked me why a pretty girl like me looked so sad." She smiled up at him before focusing on playing with his fingers that were locked in her right hand. "I was so excited to meet you, but I guess I still looked like a mess. I told you I had just lost my mom and you noticed the small bump I was already showing, but you didn't say anything about that. You just stood up and gave me a hug and wrote that in my book."

"Did it help?" He asked quietly, his voice filled with emotion. She turned her head to look at him, her hand reaching up to touch his cheek.

"You have no idea, Rick." She whispered before pulling him down for a kiss. "Thank you for getting me through this." She said against his lips and turned around, straddling his hips, to give him a hug. He hugged her back tightly. "I love you." She murmured in his ear and his hold on her only tightened.

"Thank you." He said fervently after a few minutes and she pulled away slightly to look at him. A tear had escaped the corner of his eye and she reached up to wipe it away with her thumb. "I don't even know what to say. You have no idea what this means to me, love. No idea." He framed her face in his hands as he was so fond of doing and pressed his lips against hers in a heated kiss. "I love you so much." He whispered against her lips. "So much."

And just like nine years before, he managed to lift the weight from her shoulders with his words.

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><p><strong>AN: Thoughts?**


	19. Chapter 19

**A/N: Have you guys recovered from the awesomeness that Rise was? I still can't get over how amazing that premiere was. Seriously.**

**Also, thanks one more time for you awesome support and a special thanks to ImOpenToDumbIdeas for her amazing review. You're brave for reading through all eighteen chapters in one sitting. Thank you so much!**

**Disclaimer: See previous chapters.**

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><p><strong>Someone Like You<strong>

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><p><strong>Chapter 19<strong>

Kate woke up the next morning with the sunlight shining through a slightly open curtain. Immediately shielding her eyes from the harsh brightness with her hand, she rolled over and hid her face against Rick's back, relaxing again with a sigh. Breathing him in, she wrapped an arm around his stomach as he remained fast asleep on his side. She stayed in that position for a few minutes, trying to fall back asleep when something suddenly dawned on her.

It was too bright. Her alarm hadn't gone off yet, but it was entirely too bright outside to be sometime before seven. With a groan, she rolled back to her previous position and reached out her hand to get her phone from the nightstand. Blinking sleepily, the numbers on her screen took a few seconds to sink in. It was already 9.

Shit.

She was so late. So, so very late. God, she should have been at the precinct an hour ago.

Hurriedly getting out of bed, she ran to the bathroom to quickly take a shower. After what was probably the fastest shower ever, she ran back into the room and threw on the pair of jeans she had been wearing the night before and a white button down before putting on a light layer of makeup. Looking at her reflection in the mirror, she deemed it good enough to go to work and sat down on the bed to put her shoes on. The movement jostled the bed and woke up Rick.

"What? Where are you going?" he asked groggily, looking at her through barely open lids. "Come back to bed." He reached out for her, but she stood up, shaking her head.

"I'm super late." She said throwing her hair up in a ponytail, deciding that would have to do for today. "We slept through the alarm." She went back to the mirror for a last once over and nodded at her reflection in approval. It wasn't her best, but it was good enough for now that she was in such a hurry. "Sorry, love, I have to go." She leaned down and pressed a kiss to his lips.

"Wait, should I come too?" He sat up in bed sleepily, but she shook her head.

"We don't know if Martha can watch the kids today, remember?" She told him. "Can Tyler stay a few more hours? I'll come pick him up as soon as I can."

"Of course he can. I promised him an epic Xbox battle and I intend on keeping that promise." He said honestly and she smiled, reaching out to run her fingers through his messy hair.

"You're too sweet for your own good." She shook her head with a smile and leaned down again, giving him a quick peck on the lips. "I'll call you if we get a break on the case."

"Okay. We'll be here playing Xbox." He pulled her in again for another kiss, but just as his lips touched hers, he pulled back to look at her.

"What?" She asked, confused and a little self-conscious. He grinned at her like Christmas had come early.

"You called me love." He said and his grin only got bigger.

"So? You call me love all the time." She said slowly, still not getting what the big deal was. He pulled her down, making her sit down on the bed before nibbling on her earlobe.

"You had never called me that before." He bit on her earlobe gently and proceeded to nuzzle down her neck.

"Well, are you okay with that or should I call you something else? Like, I don't know, kitten, maybe?" She teased and he growled against her neck, sucking on her pulse point.

"Love it is." He decided and continued to press open mouthed kisses to her neck. "I like it." He murmured, reaching her collarbone, and she sighed contently.

"Good. And as much as I love what you're doing, I really have to go." It took a lot will power for her to push him away and even more to ignore his pouty lips and puppy dog eyes. "Love you." She leaned in and kissed his stubbly jaw. "Call me if you need anything."

"We'll be fine, love. Go." He stole a kiss and grinned when she narrowed her eyes at him. Getting up, she grabbed her purse and her phone and made her way to the door. "Hey, Kate?" He called and she turned back to him. "Are you okay?"

"I will be." She offered him a small smile and walked back to the bed, leaning down to press her lips against his once again. "Thank you for everything." She whispered and kissed his nose softly, before walking out of the room, leaving him with a goofy smile on his lips.

She quickly made her way to the guest room upstairs where Tyler was still sleeping and kissed his forehead. When he woke up briefly, she told him she would come back to pick him up later and that Rick was staying with him and Alexis today. The boy nodded sleepily and rolled onto his side, pulling the comforter up to his chin, falling back asleep in a matter of seconds. Kate smiled at her little boy, running her hand through his hair and left. Before going back downstairs, she checked in on Alexis and found the girl still sleeping peacefully. Satisfied that everyone was okay and still in bed, she finally left the loft.

The drive to the precinct was slow as there was unusual traffic for a Saturday morning. She called Ryan and told him she was stuck in traffic, but that she would be there soon. He told her not to worry and that they were going out to pick up the victim's boyfriend and bring him in for interrogation, so she still had plenty of time. A little more relieved now that she wasn't missing anything important, she allowed herself to relax and even turned on the radio.

The quiet song playing sent her back to the night before and everything that had happened between her and Rick and just how strong this connection between them was. Even now, almost three months later since that fateful day that Tyler broke his arm, she still couldn't wrap her head around everything that had happened. She had met the author she most admired, fallen deeply in love with him in the short span of weeks and now, three months down the road, she couldn't even imagine her life without him and his family anymore. In that short time, they had become almost like a unit and that was still completely baffling to her.

She had never felt like this before, not even with Josh – and that had been a whirlwind romance. She just hoped and prayed that what she had with Rick wouldn't crash and burn like her relationship with Josh had. Stopping at a red light, she closed her eyes and shuddered to think of her encounter with Josh the day before. Amazing, she thought, how the person you had once loved intensely, now gave her a feeling of repulsion and disgust for what he had done to her and her son. The nerve of him to come asking for a second chance, claiming they still could make it work. He was out of his goddamn mind, that man. She was not going to let him anywhere near Tyler. She wouldn't allow him to get close and then abandon her son again, like he had done years ago.

Shaking her head, she tried to dismiss those thoughts, as they weren't going to lead her anywhere. She had to get to the precinct and do her job and find justice for that poor young girl's family. Then she would go home and be with her son and Rick and Alexis and all would be right in her world.

Yeah, she was going to hold on to that. Now she had a family to fall back to.

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><p>Arriving at the precinct, she left her things at her desk and made her way to the murder board. They had already interviewed the girl's parents and friends from college and they all said that she was a sweet, talented young woman who was really well liked by pretty much everyone. It seemed there was absolutely no reason for someone to have murdered her like that. Biting on her lip, she felt her stomach rumbling, reminding her that she still hadn't had anything to eat, since she had left Rick's loft in such a hurry.<p>

With a sigh, she grabbed her coat and made her way downstairs to find something to eat. After buying herself a bear claw and a tall cup of cappuccino, she made her way back to the Precinct and was about to get into the elevator when her phone chimed, indicating a new text message. It was Lanie asking her to come down to the morgue because she had something to show her.

Changing direction, she walked to the morgue and found her friend looking at something in the microscope.

"Hey, Lanie. You got something for me?" she asked, taking a sip of her cappuccino, before setting it on the table closest to the door.

"Yeah." The medical examiner sighed. "Looks like our girl here had sex just before she was killed. By the cuts and abrasions on her inner thighs and genitalia, it looks like she may have been raped." She said somberly and Kate shook her head, closing her eyes.

"You sure?"

"Positive. Got a sperm sample already." Lanie said and stood up straighter, bagging whatever it was she had been looking under the microscope. "Hey, where's your shadow?"

"He stayed home with the kids." Kate sighed and picked up her coffee again, sitting on one of the slabs. Lanie grinned at her and did the same, sitting cross-legged across from her.

"You do realize how awfully domestic that sounds, right?" she gave her a knowing look and Kate rolled her eyes.

"Shut up." She threw a napkin at her friend, taking a bite of her bear claw. "We stayed over last night after the party and he offered to stay with Ty since I had no one to watch him." She shrugged and Lanie looked at her pensively.

"Everything seems to be going quite well with you two." She mused and Kate nodded, a small smile appearing on her lips involuntarily.

"Yeah, things have been great. He's great." She sighed and almost cringed at how much like a lovesick teenager she sounded.

"Have you told him you love him yet? And don't even try to deny it, girl. It's written all over your face whenever you talk about him." Lanie narrowed her eyes at her and Kate chuckled and nodded. "Really?" she all but squealed and Kate rolled her eyes at her friend's excitement. "Oh, sweetie, I'm so happy for you. See, I told you. You just had to allow yourself to be happy. You _are_ happy, right?"

"Very."

"That's all that matters, then." Lanie smiled and Kate took another sip of her cappuccino, debating with herself if she should tell her about Josh's reappearance. She hadn't told anyone about it, only Rick, and that was because Tyler had called him that night when she had been a total mess.

"I saw Josh." She blurted out before she changed her mind. Maybe Lanie could help her make sense of everything that was running through her mind.

"Wait, _what_?" Her friend almost choked on the water she had been drinking. "When? Where? Are you okay?" she fired the questions so fast, Kate almost had a hard time following them.

"First time was about a month ago. Tyler was with me. Let's just say it wasn't one of my finest moments." She sighed heavily and closed her eyes, her hands covering her face.

"Oh, Kate, why didn't you say anything? I could've come over, kicked his ass, brought ice cream, alcohol, anything."

"I didn't want to see anyone. I held it together in front of Tyler and told Josh I never wanted to see him again, but when I got home… it wasn't pretty." Lanie reached out and squeezed her hand comfortingly. "I was such a mess that I scared him, Lanie. I scared Tyler. He was so freaked out that he called Rick and asked him to come over to check on me."

"Does he know who he was?" The medical examiner asked and Kate shook her head.

"What was the point in telling him?" she shrugged and swallowed hard, trying to dissolve the knot that had suddenly lodged itself in her throat.

"Does Rick know?"

"He knows everything. I mean, he saw me at my worst. There was no way I could keep this from him." She bit her lip, remembering how he had held her then, letting her cry everything out; how he had told her he loved her for the first time that night. "He's… he's been my rock through this, Lane. I don't know what would've happened if he hadn't shown up at my apartment that night."

"He loves you; it's only normal he would want to take care of you, honey." Lanie smiled at her and she smiled back, agreeing. "You said first time. Did you see him after that?"

"Yesterday." She said quietly and Lanie gasped. "He showed up here, asking for a second chance. Said he wanted to meet Tyler; that he wanted to be his father now."

"The nerve of that guy!" Lanie exclaimed angrily. "Who does he think he is to suddenly show up eight years later and suddenly decide that now he wants to be a dad? God, I could kill him right now."

"I know. Rick was with me yesterday. I broke down in the middle of the street after sending Josh away. It's just too much, you know? And I keep second guessing myself, wondering if I made the right decision." She chewed on her bottom lip and Lanie looked at her, confused.

"About what?"

"Maybe Tyler has a right to know who his father is?" she said, but she was so unsure that it ended up sounding like a question.

"Oh, sweetie. I can't tell you what's right here. But, given his track record, who's to say his not going to disappear on you guys again? Maybe Ty is better off not knowing?"

"I don't know, Lane. Deep down, I know you're right. That's the rational thing to do." She let out a heavy breath. "I guess I'm just afraid that he may try to do something, you know? Take my son away. I know it's stupid, but…"

"Kate," Lanie interrupted, reaching out for her hand. "no matter what, Tyler is your son and you're a fantastic mother. Josh is the guy who walked away when you told him you were pregnant. No one in their right mind would ever take that little boy away from you and give Josh custody. It's just not possible, so don't even think about that."

"Rick said the same thing." She whispered and looked down.

"We're very smart people, your writer and I. I'd listen to us if I were you." She smiled weakly at Kate, who returned it.

"I guess."

"And from the looks of things, you and writer boy might be heading towards the altar the rate you two are going. Ty won't be fatherless for long." She winked at her friend and Kate threw another napkin at her, shaking her head, amused.

"Shut up." She laughed and got her phone from her back pocket when it started to ring. Talking quickly with Esposito, she hung up and turned to Lanie again. "I gotta go. They just brought the boyfriend in for questioning. From what you told me, it looks like he could be our guy." She stepped off the gurney and threw her coffee cup in the trash.

"Let me know how everything goes."

"Sure thing." She made her way to the door. "And Lanie? Thanks for listening."

"Anytime, girl. You know I'm here if you need anything."

Kate nodded with a smile and walked out the door.

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><p>Feeling the day finally weighing on her, Kate knocked on Rick's door. They had closed the case after she got a confession out of the boyfriend. It hadn't been easy; she had been at it for hours until he cracked and she could feel the exhaustion seeping into her bones. Yawning, she almost jumped when the door opened suddenly, revealing a smiling Alexis.<p>

"Hi, Kate." She said happily and Kate smiled at the girl, leaning down to press a kiss to her hair.

They had gotten close these past couple of months, as had Rick and Tyler. She felt that Alexis craved some girl company, since she was with her dad most of the time and had been hanging out with Tyler a lot lately. So whenever she got a chance to hang out with Kate, she would practically attach herself to her hip. Kate loved it and played with Alexis gladly, knowing that the girl missed her mom and wished she was around more. She still couldn't understand how someone could just leave their child behind, not even bothering to call for weeks. It was no wonder that Alexis was so starved for motherly affection.

"Hi, sweetie. How are you doing?" She wrapped an arm around her and entered the loft, closing the door behind them.

"Good. We're just watching a movie now. Do you want dinner?" she looked up at Kate, who shook her head. She was so tired that all she wanted to do was curl up next to Rick and take a nap.

"Maybe later, Lex." She took off her coat and hung it in the hall closet. "Go back to your movie. I'll be right there, okay?" She said and Alexis nodded, running back into the living room.

Kate made her way to Rick's office to stash her gun and badge in one of the safes there. He had given her the combination a few days ago, but she still felt weird about opening his safe by herself. After that was taken care of, she walked back out to the living room and made her way to the couch, where the kids were watching the movie intently. She kissed Tyler hello and he hugged her back, before settling in to focus on the big screen in from of them. Rick was sitting on the floor, back against a mountain of pillows. She sank down to the floor next to him and relaxed into his side.

"Hi." She murmured, her face tucked in the crook of his neck. Breathing him in, she felt herself relaxing, his scent having a calming effect on her.

"Hi back." He turned his head and kissed her forehead. "Long day?"

"You have no idea." She mumbled, closing her eyes, and wrapped an arm around his waist. "We caught the guy, though." She sighed when she felt his arm around her shoulders, pulling her closer.

"Who was it?"

"The boyfriend. He raped her and then shot her five times. All because she wanted out and he didn't." She explained tiredly and pressed a kiss to his skin.

"Damn."

"Yeah." She kicked her shoes off and tangled her legs with his.

"Kate, what is this?" He asked after a couple of minutes, touching her arm. She looked down and realized there was a huge hematoma on her skin. She had forgotten completely about that.

"The guy got a little agitated during interrogation. I banged my arm on the desk when he shoved it." She shrugged. "It's nothing, love. Don't worry about it. And we could also add assaulting a police officer to his charges." She offered a small smile, but he still looked concerned. "I'm fine, Rick. Don't worry so much." She leaned in and captured his lips with hers, trying to comfort both of them. After such a long, grueling day, this was all she needed.

"Hey! Kids in the room, guys. Knock it off." She heard her son's teasing voice and broke their kiss with a laugh. Reaching behind herself, she tickled Tyler's feet, his laughter working wonders for her exhaustion and state of mind. Alexis joined in and Kate allowed herself a moment to soak in and engrave that scene in her memory.

Because despite everything, this was the happiest she had been in a really long time.

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><p><strong>AN: Thoughts?**


	20. Chapter 20

**A/N: You guys are awesome. That's all I have to say.**

**Disclaimer: See previous chapters**

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><p><strong>Someone Like You<strong>

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><p><strong>Chapter 20<strong>

"Hey, where are you going?"

Kate turned around, startled, and found Rick leaning against the doorsill, holding two coffee mugs that smelled absolutely heavenly. She smiled at him and threw on a jeans jacket, her hair cascading over her shoulders. Looking at her reflection in the mirror, she wondered if it was time to get a haircut. Shaking those thoughts away, she turned back to him and walked over to where he had set the mugs on her nightstand. Picking hers up, she took a sip, reveling in the feeling of the caffeine entering her system.

"I'm going to go visit my mom." She finally answered his question quietly and bit her lip.

It was Mother's Day. This year, it also coincided with her mother's birthday, which made today twice more painful than it usually was. Going to visit her mother's grave had become a tradition. It was one of the few times of the year that she walked through that cemetery and faced the pain and grief that accompanied her since that fateful January night ten years ago.

"Do you want me to go with you?" he asked, taking her hand in his and giving it a light squeeze. She shook her head and took another sip of coffee, before putting the mug back on the nightstand.

"I need to do this on my own." She squeezed his hand back and smiled weakly at him, running a hand through his messy hair. "Are you staying or going back to the loft?"

"Up to you." He leaned in and touched her lips with his in a sweet kiss. They had taken the kids out to dinner the night before and ended up crashing in her apartment. Alexis was probably still sleeping on the air bed they had set up in Tyler's room.

"Did you have any plans for today?" she asked, leaning into him, and sighed when his arms wrapped around her waist.

"Dinner with mother tonight. We can hang around here or maybe you can meet us at the loft later if you want? I can take Ty with us." He tucked her hair behind her ear and kissed her nose.

"Text me with whatever you guys decide?" she pulled back to look at him and touched his cheek. "I won't be long. Couple of hours at most."

"You got it." He nodded and she stepped out of his embrace. Before she could go any further, however, he grabbed her hand and turned her back around. "And Kate? Happy Mother's Day." He captured her lips with his in a deep kiss that had her moaning against him in surprise and delight. She kissed him back enthusiastically and that pain in her chest she had been feeling since she had woken up today eased up just a little.

"Thanks." She murmured when they pulled apart for oxygen. "You guys behave." She pecked him on the corner of his mouth. "I'll see you soon. Love you." She kissed his jaw and this time he let her go.

Grabbing her purse, she left her bedroom and found Tyler and Alexis camped out in front of the TV, watching cartoons. Making a detour to the couch, she kissed them both good morning and was rewarded with a bear hug from both of them.

"Happy Mother's Day, mom." Tyler grinned at her and kissed her cheek.

Alexis wished her the same, but Kate noticed her enthusiasm was a little more subdued than her son's. She sat on the couch for a moment and pulled the girl in for a hug. She knew Alexis probably disliked Mother's Day since she didn't have her mom around. The girl hugged her back tightly and Kate felt her heart break for her.

"We'll hang out later, okay? Just us girls." She whispered in her ear and felt Alexis nodding on her shoulder. "Ty, Rick is staying with you guys while I go out for a bit, alright?" she turned back to her son, who had snuck out of the room while she was hugging Alexis and was now returning with a small wrapped package in his hands."

"We got you a present." He said happily. "Rick helped me pick it out, but it's from all three of us." His smile was infectious when he handed her the present and he looked on apprehensively as she opened it.

It was a jewelry box and inside there was silver bracelet with three delicate strands holding a heart. She took it out of the box, touched, and read the words engraved on the heart. It said "I love you" on one side and "Best mom ever" on the other. Kate looked up and found Tyler looking at her expectantly, holding his breath.

"It's beautiful, baby. I love it." She pulled him to her and hugged him tightly. "Help me put it on?" She asked and he nodded excitedly. As he focused on the task at hand, she looked up again and found Rick smiling at her, leaning against the wall near the hallway that led to her bedroom. "Thank you." She mouthed to him and he nodded, winking at her.

"There, I got it." Tyler exclaimed and Kate looked down at the bracelet on her right wrist. "It looks beautiful on you, mom. Right, Lexi?" He turned to the redheaded girl who had been watching the exchange quietly. "She helped pick it out too." Tyler told Kate and she smiled at Alexis, pressing a kiss to her forehead.

"Well, thank you. To all three of you. I really, really loved it." She said and stood up. "I'll be back soon, okay?" The kids nodded and she made her way to where Rick was standing. "Thank you." She whispered and kissed him briefly. "Really." He pulled her into his arms and kissed her again.

"I'm glad you liked it." He said against her neck, placing open mouthed kissed on her skin. "Go see your mom. We'll see you soon."

She gave him one last peck on the lips and stepped away from his embrace, grabbing her keys on her way to the door.

The drive to the cemetery was fast and, as she walked through the tombstones on the now familiar path to her mother's final resting place, she realized she felt a lot lighter than she had ever felt coming here. The grief and the pain and that hollow feeling in her heart were all still there and she doubted they would ever go away, but they had been somewhat toned down this year. As she approached her mother's grave, she kneeled down and placed the colorful flowers she had picked up on her way over. Her mom had always loved flowers and she always used to say that the more colorful they were the better. With a sigh, Kate traced her name with her finger and allowed that painful, hollow feeling of despair and how much she missed her mom take her over for a moment. The tears flowed freely down her cheeks as she remembered all the good times, every Mother's Day she had spent with her, helping her cook, picking out her present with her dad, every birthday. It hurt, but she felt better remembering her that way and tried to let the happiness that she had felt then seep into her heart now.

"Hi, mom. Happy birthday. And happy Mother's Day." She finally managed to say, brushing away her tears with the back of her hand. "I miss you." She whispered as she sat down on the ground, hugging her knees to her chest. "I wish you could be here with us. You should see how big Tyler is, mom. He is almost 9 already. Can you believe it? He's growing up so fast." She shook her head in wonder. Biting her lip, she continued. "I think I found my one and done, mom. I know I said the same thing about Josh back then, but this time is different. He is different and I love him, mom. So much." She rested her chin on her knees and let out a sigh. "His name is Richard Castle. He is a writer and such a wonderful father to his little girl. We met earlier this year in January. On your anniversary. Tyler broke his arm at school and was taken to the hospital. That's why I didn't come to see you. I'm sorry about that." She was quiet for a moment, lost in the memories of that day. "Rick was there with Alexis. That's his daughter. The kids immediately hit it off and I guess we did too. He loves me, mom. He really, really does and he is so good with Ty. I really wish you were still here. I bet you'd love him." She kept talking for a few more minutes as it eased the pain in her heart. The tears slowly came to a stop and she checked her watch. She had already been there talking to her mother for two hours. "I have to go." She traced her name again and gritted her teeth to keep a fresh wave of tears at bay. "I miss you so much. And I love you from here to the end of the universe." She whispered with tearful smile, remembering her own mother's voice telling her that when she was a just a little girl.

Standing up, she brushed the dirt from her jeans and looked back at her mother's grave one more time, before making her way out of the cemetery. Getting into her car, she texted Rick to know where they were. Not even a minute passed when his reply appeared on her screen.

_We're on our way to the loft. See you there?_

She smiled at the prospect of spending the rest of the day with her favorite people in the world and quickly texted him back.

_On my way there right now. See you in a few._

Twenty minutes later, she was knocking on Rick's door and could already hear laughter coming from the loft. Alexis opened the door for her with a smile and threw herself at her in a fierce hug. Kate was startled at the sudden impact on her body, but hugged her back, kissing her flaming red hair.

"Everything okay, Lexi?" she asked, picking the girl up in her arms. Alexis wrapped her legs around her waist and arms around Kate's neck.

"I'm just glad you're here." She whispered and Kate pulled back to look at her, concerned.

"Are you sure?" she asked, but Alexis just rested her head on her shoulder and nodded.

Still not convinced, but willing to let it go for now, she entered the loft and closed the door behind her. She found Rick looking at them with a tender expression and gave him a small smile and a questioning look. When he mouthed "Meredith", Kate pieced Alexis' sudden change of mood together and hugged her tighter, pressing a kiss to her temple. Making her way to the living room, she found Tyler completely engrossed in the game he was playing, his fingers flying on the wireless controller. Smiling at the scene, she sat down on the couch with Alexis on her lap and kissed his temple. He threw a smile in her direction and focused on the game again.

"I was going to make us some lunch. Anything in particular you're craving?" Rick asked her, leaning down to kiss her lips.

"Whatever you decide is fine with me." She told him and held onto his hand before he could leave. Nodding to Alexis, she raised her eyebrows questioningly. They had an entire conversation without words and Rick nodded in the end with a small smile, kissing her again and running his hand through Alexis' hair before making his way to the kitchen. "Hey, Lexi? Want to go take a walk? It's a beautiful day outside." She suggested to the red haired girl still curled up in her lap.

"Sure. Sounds great, Kate." She replied, crawling off of her lap. Kate smiled at her and held out her hand for the girl to take. Alexis immediately took her hand with a smile.

"Ty, will you be okay here while I go out with Alexis?" She asked and the boy nodded.

"Sure, mom. You girls have fun." He said, eyes glued to the TV in front of him. "Oh, and bring ice cream?" He called out after them.

"Yes, my lord." She teased him and led Alexis to the door. "We'll be back soon, boys. Behave." She smiled at Rick, who grinned back at her from the kitchen.

Leaving the loft, they were quiet for a few minutes. Kate decided that she would not pressure Alexis and would just wait for her to be ready to talk about what was on her mind. Leading them to a nearby park, she pointed out a few flowers to the girl, asking her opinion on them. They talked about her school and how she was excited for the summer to start. When they reached a bench, Kate suggested that they should sit down for a while.

"I called mom today." Alexis finally said after a few minutes. Kate looked down at her and pushed her red hair behind her ear.

"Yeah?" she said encouragingly.

"I wanted to wish her a happy mother's day." She sighed and Kate wrapped her arm around her shoulders. "And I asked her how come she wasn't here to spend it with me." She continued quietly, biting on her lip. Kate waited for her to elaborate, her heart already in pieces for Alexis for what she was certain was yet another disappointment. "She said she had to work and that she had gotten a really great role in a movie. Then I said I wanted to spend today with her cause she was my mom and asked if she didn't want to be with me too. She only said she couldn't miss this movie opportunity." She finished looking down and Kate closed her eyes for a moment, her hands squeezing the girl's shoulder in an attempt to comfort her. How could that woman do something like this to this amazing little girl?

"Oh, sweetheart, I'm sure she'll make it up to you." She pressed a kiss to the girl's temple, but Alexis shook her head, her little hand coming up to brush a stray tear away.

"That's just the thing, Kate. She keeps saying she'll make it up to me and she never does. It's like…" She took a deep breath and swallowed hard. "It's like she forgets I even exist, you know? She didn't even know what today was when I called her. How could she forget? How could she forget about me?" She whispered and Kate touched her chin, making her look up at her, and brushed her tears away with her thumbs.

"She is just busy, Lexi. But I am sure she loves you very, very much and she didn't mean to forget." She said, having a hard time to find the right words to comfort the girl without saying what a completely awful person she thought Meredith was.

"I wish she was like you. You're such a great mom to Ty. He is so lucky. I wish I had a mom like you, Kate." She confessed and Kate felt touched by it.

"You have an amazing dad too, Alexis. And I know he loves you so much and will do anything to see you happy." She pulled Alexis into a hug, the girl settling on her lap with her head tucked against her neck.

"I wish you could be my mom too." She whispered and Kate closed her eyes, feeling like something was squeezing her heart tightly. "But I know I shouldn't wish that because I already have a mom and there are so many kids out there who don't even have that." Kate was quiet for a moment, waiting for the knot in her throat to dissolve.

"I can't replace your mom, sweetie. Bu for what it's worth, Lex, you can always count on me as your friend. If you ever need anything, even if it's just to play or talk like now, you can come to me. Alright?" She pulled back to look at her and brushed her tears away.

"Alright." She murmured and rested her head on Kate's shoulder again.

They stayed there for a while, each lost in their own thoughts. As the sun peaked through the clouds, Kate hoped she had done the right thing by making Alexis that kind of promise.

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><p>"Hey, Rick?" Tyler appeared next to him and he looked down, offering the kid a smile.<p>

He was in the process of making Chicken Alfredo and looked back at the stove where he was stirring the sauce in a pan.

"What's up, little man? You done with your game?" he asked as Tyler nodded and climbed on a stool by the kitchen island.

"I, um…" He hesitated and Rick looked at him curiously, tasting the sauce and deeming it ready, before turning off the stove. "If I tell you something, do you promise not to tell mom? I don't want her to worry."

That got Rick's attention and he sat down next to Tyler, genuinely afraid of what was making the usually easygoing kid so serious and concerned.

"You got it, Ty. What is it?"

"No, you have to promise, Rick. Do you promise not to tell my mom?" He insisted and Rick nodded, knowing that if it was something really serious he would have to break his promise and tell Kate either way.

"Cross my heart." He offered his pinky finger to Tyler and the boy linked it to his, cementing Rick's promise.

"Okay." Tyler took a deep breath and Rick waited apprehensively. "Do you remember I called you a couple of months ago cause mom was crying? And she was crying because she had met a man that had hurt her really bad?"

"I do, yeah." Rick said, already dreading what the boy would say next.

"Well, I saw that guy again." He bit his lip, making him look even more like his mother.

"Where did you see him, Tyler?" Rick asked, concerned and Tyler looked up at him.

"Outside my school a couple of times this past week." He said and Rick sucked in a deep breath, knowing this was not good at all. Before he could get more information out of him, however, he heard the door opening and Kate and Alexis entering the loft. "Rick, you promised. Don't tell her." The boy said and slipped off the stool, running to his mother.

What was he supposed to do now?

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><p><strong>AN: Thoughts?**


	21. Chapter 21

**A/N: First, I'm really sorry for taking so long to update. It has been a very busy week. Second, I just want to thank everyone who has supported this story and takes the time to tell me so here or on Tumblr. You guys are awesome and I love you! Third, I'm not entirely sure how I feel about this - which is probably because I stayed away from this story for a few days - but I really hope you guys like it.**

**Disclaimer: See previous chapters.**

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><p><strong>Someone Like You<strong>

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><p><strong>Chapter 21<strong>

It had been two weeks since Tyler had dropped the bomb on him. Rick spent the first week trying to decide what to do with that information and whether he should tell Kate and break his promise to Tyler or just take matters into his own hands. He found himself at a crossroads and he felt like whatever he chose to do, it would always be a lose/lose situation. It had been consuming him, this anguish of not knowing what to do. Every time he looked at Kate, he felt like the worst person in the world for keeping something so important from her.

After a week, it was starting to take a toll on him. It was worrying him so much that he had actually had nightmares about it, mostly featuring Tyler getting kidnapped and Kate blaming him for it. The boy hadn't mentioned anything else since Mother's Day, though, even after Rick asked him about it when Kate had taken Alexis with her to get a manicure. They had been doing a lot of those girly activities together lately and he was so glad to have Kate in their lives and that she was such a great influence on Alexis. That, in turn, just made him feel even more guilty about what he was hiding from her.

When the tenth day after the bombshell rolled around, Rick made up his mind. There was a way to take care of it without worrying Kate and without breaking Tyler's trust. He would just have to take matters into his own hands, so the first thing he set out to do was to find the best private investigator of New York City. The guy charged a fortune, but Rick figured it was worth it. Anything was worth it if it would keep Tyler and Kate safe. Because, in all honesty, this wasn't just about lying to her by omission or betraying Tyler's trust anymore. At this point, four months into their relationship, he _loved_ that little boy and would do anything in his power to protect him. If he had to spend a few extra grand to do so, then so be it.

Detective Adams was hired the next day to dig up all he could on Dr. Josh Davidson. Rick asked him to pay special attention to his whereabouts around the time Tyler left school and if he was still hanging around. Four days later, Adams gave him a preliminary report with pictures and Josh's every move documented. The bastard only went to Tyler's school once in those four days, but according to Adams, he would only stay long enough to see Tyler and then leave. In the back of his mind, Rick thought that maybe he just wanted to check on the kid. After all, he was his flesh and blood, even if the doctor had been a total jackass by abandoning Kate after getting her pregnant. So, whatever his motives were, it still didn't make what he was doing right. But he understood the need to see if your child was safe and healthy.

"Hey, you with me?" He heard Kate's voice and blinked, startled. They were on their way up to the homicide department after interviewing their current victim's parents in Brooklyn.

"Sorry, yeah. Spaced out for a second." He offered her a small smile and she squeezed his hand.

"Are you okay?" She searched his eyes with hers, concerned, and he nodded. "You seem to be spacing out a lot lately."

"Just didn't sleep all that well last night, that's all." He reassured her and leaned in to press his lips against hers in a sweet kiss.

"Are you sure?" she insisted, touching his chin, making him look at her. He felt horrible for having to lie to her face like this.

"Yeah. I just need to catch up on sleep, love. Don't worry about me."

"Alright." She squeezed his hand one more time and the doors opened on their floor. "You know you can tell me anything, right?" she said quietly as they walked towards her desk, waving hello to Ryan and Esposito, who were going through the victim's financial records.

"And I love you for that." He put his hands on her shoulders and squeezed them affectionately, earning a smile from her. "Do you still want me to go pick up Tyler today?"

"If you don't mind, yeah." She sat at her desk and put away her purse in the bottom drawer.

"Of course I don't. I have to take Alexis to an appointment after school, though. He can come with us. It'll be good to have him there to distract her."

"It's her last checkup, right?" She looked up at him and he leaned back on his chair with a sigh.

"Thank God." He covered his face with his hands and closed his eyes, saying a silent prayer for his daughter.

"I can meet you guys at the hospital later if I get out of here at a decent hour." She suggested and he smiled at her with a nod, telling himself that hiding from her the files that were currently in his laptop at home was for her own good. He would deal with this on his own and Josh would not bother two of the most important people in his life anymore.

"Hey, boss? We got a hit on the APB." Esposito interrupted his train of thought and he followed Kate when she stood up and walked over to his desk.

Taking a deep breath, he tried to focus on what the Hispanic detective was telling them, but he found himself having a hard time focusing on his words.

_He was doing the right thing_, was the mantra in his mind. _He was doing the right thing_.

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><p>"Hey, Ty. Ready to go?" He asked as soon as he found the boy in the crowd of kids at the school's entrance. Kate and the boys had gone to check out a lead on their current case and he was kind of bummed for having to miss out on this, but he had to take Alexis to her last doctor's appointment. "Hey, what happened there?" He pointed at Tyler's skinned knee. I was already a little swollen and the skin raw. The blood seemed to have coagulated already and someone had hastily put a Band-Aid on it.<p>

"I was running during recess and this older kid pushed me and I fell." He said with a shrug and Rick crouched down to his level, making him look at him.

"Are you okay, though? Did someone take care of this for you?" He asked, concerned, and Tyler shook his head.

"I just washed it and put this on it. My friend gave it to me." He pointed at the Band-Aid and Rick searched his eyes, trying to determine if he was telling the truth. "I'm okay, Rick. Really." He offered a small smile and Rick nodded, standing up.

"Alright, kiddo. Let's go pick up Alexis. Do you mind going to the hospital with us? It'll probably be really quick and we can get your knee looked at while we're there." He put his arm around his shoulder and led him to the car.

"Sure. Is mom meeting us there?" He climbed into the backseat and put on his seatbelt after throwing his backpack on the car floor.

"She said she'd try. It all depends on how the case goes, like usual." He grinned at the boy through the rearview mirror and he nodded. "We can go grab something to eat afterwards, how's that?"

"Awesome." Tyler responded and started telling him how his science teacher had taught them something really exciting today.

Rick listened intently as he drove to Alexis' school, always finding Tyler's stories entertaining. The boy sure had knack for storytelling and was always fun to listen to. After picking up his little girl, they made their way to NYU Medical Center. He was so relieved that this was Alexis' last checkup and after today – if everything went well – she would be in the clear and healthy and that nightmare they had suffered through back in November would be finally put to rest.

They walked into the hospital's reception area and Alexis was quickly ushered in for her checkup. Dr. Sanders, the pediatrician who had overseen her treatment, was happy to see her and they were immediately chatting like old friends. Rick interrupted and asked if she could get a nurse to take a look at Tyler's knee or at least clean it up properly and the doctor told him to sit Tyler on one of the empty gurneys and she would send a nurse in soon.

Alexis was taken to do her final head scan while Rick waited in the emergency ward with Tyler. The boy had leaned back on the gurney, but Rick could tell that his knee was bothering him as a grimace appeared on his young face every time he moved.

"Does it hurt much, buddy?" He asked, pulling a stool to sit next to him. Tyler shrugged. "You know, you don't have to look so tough and strong all the time." He said knowingly and Tyler bit his bottom lip.

"It hurts a little. But it's not as bad as before." He sighed and brushed his hair away from his eyes. "This kid, Elliot, he's been picking on me lately."

"He's the one who pushed you?" Rick put his elbows on the bed and rested his head on his hand, turning to look at him.

"Yeah. He's a bully and thinks he owns the school. He found out mom is a detective so he's been making fun of me because of that. Said that it's not a woman's job and that we're all screwed." He sighed again and shook his head. "I got angry today and told him to shut up about my mom. He pushed me and I fell."

"Just ignore him, Ty. He doesn't know what he's talking about. Your mom is amazing at what she does and you should be very proud of her." He smiled at him and Tyler nodded.

"I know that and I told him that, but he wouldn't listen. I can't let him talk about my mom like that, right?"

"Next time that happens, you tell someone in charge, a teacher. Alright? Don't let him do that to you."

"Alright." He agreed and seemed to relax now that he had gotten it out of his chest. "Hey, there's going to be a Yankees game next week. I was wondering if maybe we could go?" he said timidly and Rick smiled at his sudden mood change. "I haven't been to a game in forever." He added for good measure and Rick chuckled.

"I'll try to get us tickets, but we have to clear it with your mom first." He acquiesced and Tyler nodded excitedly.

"Oh, she loves the Yankees. I'm sure she'll love it. Maybe we could surprise her?" He suggested with a grin and Rick ruffled his hair.

"I like the way you think, Mr. Beckett." He offered his fist and Tyler bumped it with his own. "I'll see what I can do." He said conspiratorially when the nurse approached them.

The young woman cleaned Tyler's knee – Rick held on to his hand when the boy grimaced at the sting the peroxide caused – and put a bandage on it. Tyler put on a brave face, but from the death grip on his hand, Rick knew it was probably quite painful. The nurse tried to shamelessly flirt with him during the entire time she was there and it was all he could do to not roll his eyes at her pitiful attempts. After instructing how they should clean it, she left, but not before slipping a piece of paper with her phone number into his hand. Rick threw it out the second she was out the door. Once upon a time he may have enjoyed the attention, but now that he had Kate and she so completely had his heart, this kind of behavior just repulsed him.

"She was totally flirting with you, wasn't she?" Tyler's playful voice interrupted his thoughts and he turned to look at the grinning boy.

"You noticed that, huh?" he chuckled when Tyler gave him a knowing, laughing smile. "She doesn't hold a candle to your mom, though." He assured the boy, who nodded in agreement.

"Well, my mom _is_ really awesome." He agreed and Rick laughed, holding out his hand to help Tyler off the gurney.

"She absolutely is and we love her for it, right?" He put his arm around Tyler and put him on his feet on the floor. "How's the knee?"

"I'll live." He answered with a mock tortured look and Rick laughed, rolling his eyes.

"Come on, squirt. Let's go check on Lexi." He started walking in the direction of the reception area and only realized that Tyler wasn't following him when he reached the counter where the flirty nurse was already eyeing him seductively. "Tyler?" He turned around and found him looking in the opposite direction of where they had come from. Walking back to the emergency ward, he touched his shoulder. "What's wrong, Ty?"

"It's him. The guy I told you about. The one who made mom cry that day." Tyler whispered and Rick followed his gaze until he spotted Josh talking to another doctor near the elevators.

Shit.

"Let's just go find Alexis." He tried to steer Tyler towards the reception area, but Josh had already looked up and seen them. "Tyler, come on." He said more firmly when Josh started making his way to them. He couldn't let this happen. Kate wasn't here; she was the only one who could decide anything about this and she wasn't here. Jesus, _what was he supposed to do?_

"Who is he?" Tyler asked, a mix of fear and curiosity showing in his eyes.

Josh stopped in front of them and opened his mouth a few times, but apparently didn't know what to say. The awkward silence stretched on as the doctor looked at Tyler with wide eyes and Tyler looked from him to Rick in confusion.

"Is he okay?" He finally asked Rick, who glared at him, arm firmly wrapped around Tyler's shoulder.

"I don't think it's any of your business." He said coldly and Josh looked down, embarrassed.

"Daddy!" He heard his little girl's voice and turned to the sound, finding her being brought back to the emergency ward by Dr. Sanders.

"Hey, pumpkin." He smiled at her and let out a sigh in relief when Tyler ran to her side. He turned back to Josh. "Stay the hell away from him and Kate." He hissed at the doctor. "I'm onto you and if I find out you've been stalking Tyler again, I'll get a restraining order against your ass. You have no right to do what you're doing now."

"He is my son." Josh said firmly, but Rick shook his head.

"You gave up that right when you walked out on Kate. Stay away from them." He glared at him and walked away, making his way to her daughter's side. Taking a deep breath, he tried to pull himself together before facing the kids and the doctor's verdict about his little girl. "Hey, sweetheart." He kissed Alexis' forehead when he reached the bed she was sitting in. Tyler had climbed on it and was sitting next to her, skinned knee apparently forgotten.

"Hi, daddy. Dr. Sanders says I'm free to go." She greeted him with a bright smile and Rick found himself mirroring her, relief washing through him.

"Is she in the clear?" He asked the doctor and she smiled at him with a nod.

"Healthy as a horse. There is no damage at all and she has recovered completely." She told him and he shook her hand enthusiastically, feeling his throat close up with emotion.

"Thank you, Dr. Sanders. For everything." His voice shook slightly and he cleared his throat, blinking away the tears.

"You're very welcome, Mr. Castle. Lexi, I'm going to miss you, sweetie." She smiled at the redhead and turned back to Rick. "A nurse will bring you her scan in a minute and then you guys are free to go." She said and Rick shook her hand again before she left.

"I think this calls for an ice cream celebration. What do you guys say?" He suggested and both kids nodded excitedly. "Alright, let me just call Kate and see if she can meet us somewhere."

He pulled out his phone and realized there was no signal where they were. Shrugging, he decided he would just call her when they left the hospital. He pulled a stool to sit down next to the bed Alexis and Tyler were on and distracted himself for the next few minutes by listening to his daughter recount what she had learned in school today. His mind was still running at full speed, especially after seeing Josh. He had to tell Kate about this and he had to do it soon. This was her life; she should know what was going on. He was going to tell her. Tonight. Now he had photographic evidence and the private investigator's report. He would show everything to her and she could decide what to do.

Soon, a nurse appeared with Alexis' test results and they were finally able to leave. Holding onto his daughter's small hand and Tyler walking by his side, he led the kids to the hospital's entrance. Just as they were crossing the reception area, he looked up and saw a man that looked awfully like Esposito. The man turned around and Rick recognized Kate's partner. He felt his blood freeze in his veins when he saw a red stain in his clothes.

"Esposito!" He called out and the detective turned to the sound.

"Oh, man, thank God. I was trying to call you." He said breathlessly when he reached them. "It's Beckett."

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><p><strong>AN: Let me know what you think? And please don't kill me.**


	22. Chapter 22

**A/N: Just wanted to say thank you for the overwhelming response to the last chapter. Really, from the bottom of my heart, I really appreciate all your support.**

**Disclaimer: See previous chapters.**

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><p><strong>Someone Like You<strong>

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><p><strong>Chapter 22<strong>

He felt the world stop.

As a writer, he had used that expression several times to convey a reaction for both really good news and really bad ones. He had always thought it was just a figure of speech that was incredibly exaggerated and overused by writers all over the world. He had never thought he would actually get to experience his world stopping and he never, ever wanted to experience this again.

When Esposito's words sank in and their meaning registered in his mind, he felt the blood drain from his face. For a few seconds, he was in shock and felt numb, incapable of reacting. There was a suspect chase and gunfire broke out. They had all been wearing their vests – thank God for small favors, he thought fervently – but Kate had been hit nonetheless. The amount of blood caking Esposito's white shirt was disturbing and all he could think about was that it was Kate's blood. All of that red stain on his shirt and on his hands, it had all come from the woman he loved.

"Castle, you with us, bro?" The detective's voice broke through the fog in his brain and he blinked.

Kate had been shot.

Holy Mother of Christ.

"Where's my mom?" A shaky, quiet voice came from his right. He looked down and found Tyler's wide, scared eyes looking back at him, his face ashen with fear. "What happened to her?"

Rick opened his mouth to answer, but nothing came out. He didn't know what was going on; he didn't know where she was or if she was even alive. All he could focus on was the blood on Esposito's shirt. Kate's blood. Suddenly he felt like he had just been punched in the guts, his breath coming out in gasps.

"Castle, come on, bro. Let's sit down." Esposito interrupted the loud chaos in his mind and guided them to the waiting chairs.

"Hey, Castle. You got here fast, man." Ryan commented, jogging towards them, holding some clean scrubs for his partner. "Here. You should go change." The Hispanic detective nodded his thanks and excused himself to the bathroom.

"Where's my mom?" Tyler asked again, louder. "Where is she? I want to see her." Two fat tears escaped his eyes as he tried to run off after Esposito and that finally snapped Rick out of his daze. He grabbed the boy around the waist and held him close. "Let me go! I want to see my mom!"

"She's with the doctors now, Ty. They're going to try to fix her up, alright?" He whispered to the struggling boy in his arms. "But we have to wait here. Can you do that?" He crouched down to his level and touched his chin. "Come on, buddy. Deep breaths." He tried to give an encouraging smile as tears continued to run freely down Tyler's cheeks.

"I just want my mom, Rick." He sobbed and threw himself into Rick's arms, hiding his face on his chest. Rick hugged him tightly, rubbing soothing circles on his back.

He looked up at Ryan questioningly and the detective pointed to his arm and head. He felt the ground disappearing from under him again, but Ryan shook his head before he could get too alarmed.

"Just a graze." He pointed to his head again and Rick let out a heavy sigh in relief and closed his eyes, the world spinning dizzily around him.

"And her arm?" He asked quietly, picking up Tyler and standing up.

"Through and through." The younger detective explained and Rick nodded, sitting down with Tyler in his lap. He looked to his left and found Alexis chewing on her bottom lip nervously, her little hands gripping tightly the armrests of the chair she was sitting on. "They took her inside immediately and told us to wait out here." Ryan added and sat down next to her. "Hey, Lexi." He nudged her lightly with his elbow and she looked up at him, scared.

They had developed a great friendship over the past few months. Alexis liked both Ryan and Esposito, but Rick knew Ryan was her favorite and was thankful that the detective was making an effort to distract her.

"Hey, pumpkin. Why don't you go get a soda with Uncle Kevin and Ty?" He suggested, feeling Tyler's grip around his neck tighten.

"But I want to stay here. I want to see Kate when she gets out." She said with a small voice, her hands still gripping the armrests so tightly that her knuckles were white.

"I don't want to go. I want to see my mom." He heard Tyler mumble against his neck and sighed. He wanted to get the kids away for a minute so he could find out what had really happened and how bad Kate's condition was. Right now, he had to look calm and collected for the kids' sake, but inside he felt like someone was squeezing his heart so tight that it was hard to breathe.

"It'll probably still be a while, buddy. Why don't you guys go, get something to eat? It'll be good for you, I promise. And when you come back, I promise you we'll stay here until we can see your mom. Alright?" Tyler still looked skeptical as he wiped the stubborn tears away from his cheeks.

"Promise?" He asked quietly, his childish shaky voice making him sound even younger.

"Cross my heart." He assured him and held out his pinky finger. Tyler nodded and linked his own with Rick's. "I'll be right here when you guys come back. Okay, Lex?" He turned to his daughter and reached out, prying her fingers away from the armrest. "Okay, sweetheart?" He asked again and she nodded.

"Come on, Ty." Alexis stood up and reached out her hand to Tyler. Rick watched as the boy swallowed hard and took her hand, standing up as well. With a sigh of relief for this small mission accomplished, he looked at Ryan, who just nodded at him.

"I'll distract them for a while." He offered a small, comforting smile and Rick nodded gratefully, hiding his face in his hands when the kids were finally out of sight.

A bullet grazed her head.

God, she could have been dead right now. One second, one wrong move and she could have died with a goddamn bullet in her head. One second and he would have lost her forever. He knew that wasn't what had happened, but he couldn't stop his overactive imagination from conjuring up images of what could have happened today. Her fixed, glazed eyes staring up at the sky, blood tricking down from the wound in her forehead. He could see everything so clearly it made his heart nearly stop.

A world without her. His life without her. He couldn't even fathom that possibility anymore. And Tyler. What would happen to him if Kate just didn't come home one of these days? She was all the boy had; no wonder he was so terrified of losing her, even at such a young age. He felt a tear escape his eyes and wiped it away quickly. He couldn't do that now. He had to stay calm for the kids. She hadn't been shot in the head. It was just a graze and she was going to be fine.

But that wasn't her only injury, he remembered suddenly. She had been shot in her arm too. He had done his fair share of research on gunshot wounds for his books and he hoped it had been a clean hit, through and through, like Ryan had said. Closing his eyes, he prayed to whatever higher power that was listening that she would be able to recover without any lasting damage. He knew how gunshot wounds could be tricky and messy, especially if it hit a bone on the way. He hoped she had gotten lucky and it had just been tissue damage.

"You okay, bro?" He heard Esposito's voice and looked up. The detective had changed into dark blue scrubs and Rick was relieved that he didn't have to see Kate's blood on him anymore. "She's going to be fine, you know. It could've been a lot worse, but she was lucky." He put a hand on Rick's shoulder.

"What the hell happened?" he asked, his voice coming out hoarse.

"We got a hit on the APB on the vic's cousin, remember?" He started and Rick nodded. "It was at a warehouse not too far from here, but he wasn't alone. Somehow, he knew we were coming and when we got there, the bullets were already flying. She got hit just as she was getting out of the car." He shook his head, running a hand through his short head. "The son of a bitch got away while we were helping her and calling an ambulance." He took a deep, steadying breath. "I thought she had been hit in the head when I saw her, man. All that blood… I thought this is it. We're going to lose Beckett." Rick closed his eyes and tried to get his breathing under control as Esposito's words conjured up that horrible image of her lifeless eyes staring back at him. "But she was talking and yelling at us to go get the bastard." Esposito laughed quietly, shaking his head. "Then she passed out."

"What did they say when you got here?" Rick asked quietly and Esposito shrugged.

"They rushed her in and a nurse told us to wait here. I was trying to get a hold of you since she got in the ambulance. What were you doing here, anyway?"

"Alexis had an appointment and Kate had asked me to pick up Tyler from school." He took a deep breath and leaned his head back against the wall. "God, I can't believe this happened. I just…" he swallowed hard and closed his eyes. "I need her to be okay."

"She's going to be fine, bro. Probably will be out of commission for a while and that's going to piss her off, but she'll be just fine, you'll see." Esposito patted his shoulder in an attempt to comfort him and Rick nodded.

They remained silent for a few minutes until a doctor called out for Kate Beckett's family. They both jumped up immediately and rushed to the doctor. Rick was grateful it wasn't Josh. He had no idea if he would have been able to handle _that_ situation.

"How is she?" He asked anxiously and the doctor gave him a comforting, reassuring smile.

"She's stable. Got a few stitches on her forehead and just got into surgery now. First we had thought she wouldn't need it because there was an entry and exit wound on her arm. But after reviewing her X-rays, we found out she has a fracture so we're going to need to set it." The doctor explained, his gray hair falling on his eyes as he took the cap off.

"But she's going to be fine?" Rick asked, his hands closed in tight fists in an attempt to control his emotions.

"Oh, yes. Definitely. She still has a long recovery ahead of her and she won't be able to return to work for a while, but she'll be just fine. Rest and physical therapy and then she'll be as good as new." He smiled at them and shook their hands. "I'll come let you know as soon as she's out of the OR."

"Rick!" Tyler's voice interrupted the doctor and the boy rushed to Rick's side, his eyes searching his anxiously. "How's mom? Can I go see her?"

"That's her kid?" The doctor asked and Esposito nodded. "Hey, buddy. I'm Dr. Phillips, your mom's doctor. What's your name?" he crouched down to Tyler's level and the boy leaned against Rick's side for support.

"Tyler." He answered quietly. "Is my mom going to be okay?"

"She'll be just fine, Tyler. You'll have to take care of her for a little while, but she'll be able to go home with you very soon." Dr. Phillips reassured him and he nodded, biting his lip.

"When can I see her?" he asked timidly and Dr. Phillips stood up, smiling down at him.

"I'll come get you as soon as she gets out of surgery, alright?"

"Alright. Thanks, Dr. Phillips." He let out a sigh in relief and Rick wrapped an arm around his shoulders. He felt Alexis lean against his other side and smiled down at her, hugging her close to his side.

"Thanks, Dr. Phillips." Esposito said and Rick nodded at the doctor, finding himself unable to speak just then.

Leading the kids back to the chairs, he sat down heavily with both Tyler and Alexis seeking comfort from him. He wrapped an arm around each of them placed a kiss to their heads, swallowing hard.

_She was going to be okay._

* * *

><p>It was hours later when they finally were able to see her. Technically, only family could go in, but Rick had managed to convince them that the only blood relative present at the hospital was Kate's 8-year-old son and he would not leave him alone. Kate's father was still on his way to Manhattan and would be there soon to stay with Tyler, but in the meantime, Rick refused to leave. In fact, he refused to leave altogether. He wasn't going anywhere tonight, not until he could see her and talk to her and kiss her and tell her he loved her over and over.<p>

His mother had come by to pick up Alexis and, after much convincing from his part, his daughter finally agreed to go home with the promise that his mom would bring her back to see Kate first thing in the morning. That had been about an hour ago. Now, he took a deep breath, trying to find the courage to enter Kate's room with Tyler. Dr. Phillips explained what they were going to see and that it looked worse than it really was. He felt Tyler squeeze his hand tightly and tried to smile down at the boy to give him some sort of comfort and encouragement. He looked so scared.

Finally, he had no choice but to follow the doctor into the room. The sight that greeted his eyes was not as bad as he had braced himself to be, but it was still out of a nightmare. Her left upper arm was in a cast that ran all the way down to her hand and she had a huge bandage wrapped around her head, covering her forehead. She looked so pale and small and sick that he felt almost sick to his stomach. Tyler's strong grip on his hand was the only thing anchoring him to reality at that moment.

"Can I touch her?" The boy asked quietly after the doctor had left them alone in the room.

"Gently and on her good side, okay?" Rick answered, reaching out to run his fingers on her right arm, trying to convince himself that she was really going to be okay.

"I thought she was going to die." Tyler confessed in a whisper and Rick turned to him, his hand never leaving Kate's skin. "When I saw all that blood on Uncle Javi's shirt… I thought she was dead." He finished, not being able to prevent the sob that escaped him. Rick pulled him in for a hug, picking him up when the boy wrapped his arms around his neck tightly.

"She's okay, Ty. She's alive and right here with us, see?" he turned the boy in Kate's direction and reveled in the fact that her chest was rising and falling in a steady rhythm. "She is breathing and she's going to be able to go home with us soon. I promise you that." He pulled back slightly and brushed his tears away. "It's okay to be scared, though. I was terrified."

"I just don't want her to die. She's my mom." His voice was still shaky as he mumbled against Rick's neck.

"I know, buddy, I know." He soothed the boy and sat down on the small couch to the right of the bed. "But we're going to take care of her and she'll be back to kicking butt in no time." He promised him and rubbed soothing circles on his back until he felt Tyler's breathing even out.

He stayed with Tyler on his lap, holding the boy close and watching Kate breathe just a few feet away. The steady movement of her chest was fascinating now that he had come so close to losing her. He didn't even want to think about what could have happened. If he did, he was going to lose the battle against the knot in his throat and he couldn't do that with Tyler there. She was okay and alive and she was going to recover and everything would be fine, that was all that mattered.

A while later – he fell asleep and lost track of time – he looked up to find Kate's tired green eyes staring back at him. She gave him a small, exhausted smile and he felt his chest tighten with all the feelings that were bubbling up inside of him. Slowly and very carefully, he laid Tyler down on the couch and stood up, making his way to her side.

"Hi." She whispered when he grabbed her hand, bringing it up to his lips.

"Hi." He whispered back and felt overwhelmed just by the sound of her voice. "How are you doing?"

"Everything hurts." She admitted, biting on her lip and he squeezed her hand.

"Let me go get the nurse." He offered, but she shook her head, her hand holding him in place. He sat down on the edge of the bed slowly, careful not to jostle her, and touched her cheek.

"Just stay with me for a little while." She asked and he nodded, leaning down to touch her lips with his in a gentle kiss. "How bad?"

"You were shot. The bullet broke your arm on the way in. They took you to surgery to set the fracture." He explained and her eyes searched his frantically for answers.

"And…" she swallowed hard and closed her eyes. "My head?" she asked quietly and he felt the tears well up in his eyes again.

"You were so very lucky, Kate. So lucky." He brought her right hand to his lips again. "It was just a graze. You're going to be just fine. It's going to take a while, but you're going to be okay."

"How long?" She threaded her fingers through his and he kissed her skin again.

"I don't know specifics yet. But a few months, at least." He closed his eyes and nuzzled her hand, refusing to sever their connection now that she was here, alive and awake.

"Damn." She cursed quietly in frustration and untangled their hands to touch his cheek, wiping away a tear. He hadn't even realized he was crying. "Hey, it's okay, love. I'm right here." She whispered when another tear made its way down his cheek.

"You scared the hell out of me today." He choked out and kissed her hand again, when she ran her thumb over his lips. "Don't ever do that again."

"I'll try my best not to." She told him and he stood up for a moment, pulling a stool closer to her bed. Sitting down again, he rested his chin on his arms, his head now level with hers. "How's Tyler?"

"He was so brave, Kate." He smiled at her, leaning in to kiss her again. "But he was terrified. Cried himself to sleep. He'll be alright, though. Now that you're okay."

"God, I never wanted him to see me like this. Ever." A tear escaped her eyes and he brushed it away with his thumb.

"It calmed him down, knowing that you were alive and okay. He had to see it for himself." She nodded and was about to say something when a nurse entered the room. After a quick checkup and another round of pain meds, she left them alone.

"Thank you for staying with him." Kate said quietly and he nodded, holding their joined hands against his cheek.

"No place I'd rather be." He whispered and leaned in to capture her lips with his in a loving kiss. "I love you. Don't ever do this to us again." He said against her lips and she nodded sleepily.

"I won't." He watched as she tried to fight against the pull of the meds and brushed her hair back, careful not to touch her forehead. "I love you." She murmured and he smiled at her, relieved, as sleep took her under.

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><p><strong>AN: Thoughts?**


	23. Chapter 23

**A/N: I am so so sorry I took so long to update this. I really hope you guys are still interested and that you like this chapter. Personally, I feel like this is mostly a filler chapter and a whole lot of nothing happens. But I hope you like it anyway. Thank you for being so patient with me.**

**Disclaimer: Castle is not mine.**

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><p><strong>Someone Like you<strong>

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><p><strong>Chapter 23<strong>

Kate opened her eyes, startled. The light was shining brightly through the blinds and made her close them again immediately, throwing a hand over her face. When she did that, however, a sharp pain shot up through her arm and she winced, a painful moan escaping her lips. Opening her eyes again, she looked around the room, feeling disoriented for a moment, not recognizing where she was. Her entire body hurt and she still didn't have a clue of what exactly was going on.

A moan that sounded awfully like a wounded animal interrupted her thoughts and she turned her head to the sound. Tyler was sleeping in what looked like a really uncomfortable small couch, his body curled up in a fetal position. The frown on his forehead was what really worried her, though. Then the sound came again and she realized it had been what had woken her up in the first place.

Tyler was having a nightmare.

Everything came back to her in a rush. Kissing Rick goodbye as he left to go pick up the kids from school, going out with the boys to pick up a suspect.

Getting shot.

That blinding pain when the bullet tore through her arm; then feeling her head burn and the blood soaking her hair and dripping down onto her neck and vest. Thinking she was going to die. That Tyler would become an orphan.

No wonder he was having a nightmare.

Sitting up slowly, she waited a few seconds for the dizziness to pass. Her head felt like it was stuffed with cotton and sharp jabs of pain were shooting through her arm, but she didn't care. Her son was hurting and she needed to get to him. Swallowing hard at the sudden nausea that seemed to take over her, she tried to anchor her eyes on something solid, breathing in and out to quench the overwhelming need to throw up. Once she felt confident she wasn't in any immediate danger of emptying her stomach, she carefully swung her legs over the side of the bed, stopping again when she felt her head spin. God, this was frustrating. She breathed through her nose for a few seconds, wondering where Rick was, before slowly putting her feet on the ground.

That was when she realized she was hooked to a variety of monitors and IV stands, which meant she was pretty much trapped. Letting out a heavy sigh, Kate felt her heart clench when Tyler moaned again, his small hands closed in tight fists. Seeing no other choice, she resorted to calling his name. She tried once, twice, three times, but he didn't stir. She was already considering the possibility of ripping all those monitors and IVs off of her to get to her son, when he suddenly opened his eyes.

He was breathing heavily, his eyes looking around the room with so much fear that she hated herself for making her little boy go through something like this.

"Ty?" she called out to him quietly, so not to scare him further. His eyes immediately found hers and she wanted to cry when she saw the recognition flash across his face as tears spilled out onto his cheeks. "Hey, baby." She offered him a teary smile and he was by her side in a flash.

"Momma." He gasped, his body shaking as he awkwardly tried to climb onto the bed as fast as he could. When he finally made it, he threw his arms around her as Kate tried to stifle a gasp of pain. "I thought you were dead." He was shaking so hard, the tears flowing freely down his cheeks, that she ignored the pain and hugged him close with her good arm, biting hard on her lip to keep from crying with him.

"Oh, sweetie. I'm right here with you. I'm not going anywhere, I promise." She kissed his messy brown hair, but he could only sob against her neck. "Tyler." She ran her fingers through his hair gently. "Hey, look at me."

He did and the terrified look in his eyes broke her heart.

"I saw Uncle Javi's shirt and he told Rick something happened to you." He took a deep breath, brushing away his tears with the back of his hand. "There was so much blood, mom. I thought for sure you'd died." Another sob escaped his lips and Kate hugged him closer, a tear finally escaping her eyes.

"I'm right here and I'll be just fine real soon, baby." She soothed him and he snuggled closer, hiding his face on her neck. She could still feel his tears on her skin. "Rick told me you were really brave." She whispered in his ear and felt him nod. "I'm really proud of you."

"What happened?" He asked after a couple of minutes, his fingers playing with her hair hanging over shoulder.

"Broke my arm. Got a cool cast just like the one you had, remember?"

"It's much bigger, though." He reached out and touched her cast lightly. It covered almost her entire arm.

"That's because it's broken in a different place than yours was." She explained, relieved that his tears were finally subsiding. "But I'll be fine soon, just like you were. Just have to take it easy for a little while."

"Does it hurt?" His voice was so quiet, so afraid, that she pulled him tighter against her side.

"A little, yeah." She said and he nodded seriously.

"Am I hurting you?" He asked suddenly, pulling away from her, and she shook her head.

"No, baby. Don't worry. I want you here with me, alright?" She reassured him and he nodded again, resting his head on her shoulder.

"What about your head?" He asked quietly and Kate sighed. She would never tell him just how close to leaving him she had come yesterday.

"It's just a scratch." She told him softly and felt him relax against her side, sighing.

"I'm really glad you're okay, mom. I was so scared." He confessed, hiding his face on her neck again. "Rick stayed with me and told me you were going to be just fine." He sighed and then added as an afterthought. "But I was still really scared you were going to die. I don't want you to die." He mumbled against her skin and she kissed his forehead, lying back down on the bed and bringing him with her.

That was how Rick found them a few minutes later. Kate looked up at him when she heard the door opening and offered a small smile. He was juggling a cardboard tray with three cups, two other packages and flowers. Kate chuckled at his obvious struggle, but was touched by his thoughtfulness. Tyler turned his head to look at him and sat up to go try and help.

"No, I got it, Ty. Don't worry." He smiled at the boy and Tyler went back to his previous position, hugging his mom close. Rick smiled at the scene and set everything on the small table next to her bed. "Hi." He whispered, finally leaning down to give her a good morning kiss.

"Morning." She whispered back against his lips. "I was wondering where you were." She commented when he pulled away to squeeze Tyler's shoulder comfortingly.

"Asked your nurse if you could have some real food instead of this hospital crap and she said that as long as it wasn't junk food, you were free to eat whatever." He helped her sit up slowly and pulled the chair next to her bed to sit down. "So, I got you a cup of coffee, just the way you like it." He winked at her, handing her the steaming cup of coffee. It smelled heavenly. "And I got you a croissant to go with it."

"This is wonderful, babe. Thank you." She took a sip and moaned at the amazing taste. The caffeine entering her system was already clearing her head. When she looked at him again, he was watching her amused. "What?" She asked, confused, and he shook his head.

"Nothing. Good to see you're okay, love. That's all." He smiled at her and turned back to the goodies he had gotten. "Ty, I got you breakfast too, buddy. Come on." He ruffled his hair and Tyler sat up, swinging his legs over the side of Kate's bed. "Hot chocolate and a bear claw. How's that?"

"Awesome. Thanks, Rick." The boy gave him a genuine smile and accepted his share, immediately taking a bite of the bear claw.

"Knock, knock." They heard Martha's voice and turned to the door where she had poked her head in. "Can we come in?"

"Of course, Martha. Come on in." Kate smiled at her and chuckled when Alexis burst into the room past her grandmother. "Hey, Lexi." She offered the girl a smile and set her cup of coffee on the table.

"Are you feeling better, Kate?" She asked, a nervous tone to her voice. "I was really worried."

"I'm fine, sweetie. It was just a scare." She reassured her and Alexis nodded, leaning against her dad's side.

"Are you going to let people sign your cast, mom?" Tyler asked, eating the last of his bear claw. Kate shook her head, amused.

"Manners, young man. Don't talk with your mouth full." She tried to give him a stern look, but failed miserably. "And we'll see."

"I totally want to sign your cast." Rick piped in and Kate turned to him with a glare. "What, I do." He shrugged and heard his mother laugh.

"Leave the poor girl alone, Richard." She chastised her son and walked over to Kate's bedside. "How are you doing, darling? Quite a scare you gave us."

"I'm okay. Just a broken arm." She offered Martha a small smile and felt tears welling up in her eyes when Martha leaned down to give her a light kiss on the forehead. The gesture was so like her own mother used to do that she felt her heart ache with grief.

"Well, I'm really glad you're okay." She squeezed her hand and Kate blinked back the tears that were threatening to escape. "We can't stay long. Have to take the little one to school."

"Speaking of which, aren't you going to school today, Ty?" Kate brushed his hair away from his eyes and lifted an eyebrow at him.

"It's the last day today, I'm not going to miss anything." He gave her a puppy dog look and she rolled her eyes.

"Okay, fine, you can skip school today. But don't get used to it." She added when he grinned happily at her. "You should go home, though. Take a shower, get out of these stinky clothes." She tickled his side and he squirmed away, laughing.

"Mom!" he complained, through his giggles. "I don't smell."

"You still need to take a shower, kid." She ruffled his hair playfully.

"Can I come back and visit after school?" Alexis asked her and Kate looked at Rick questioningly.

"Sure, pumpkin." He kissed Alexis' forehead. "You should go so you won't be late." He told her and she nodded before giving him a hug.

"Can I…" She started, turning to Kate, but hesitated. "Can I hug you?" She asked timidly and Kate smiled at her sudden shyness.

"Come here, sweetie." Kate said and Rick picked her up, setting her down next to Kate, who reached out her good arm in invitation.

"Easy, Alexis." Rick cautioned and the girl hugged her so very carefully that Kate had to bite her lip to hide a smile. Kissing Alexis' hair, she held her for a moment.

"Kate?" The girl whispered in her ear and Kate pulled away to look at her. "Don't scare us like that again, okay?" She said quietly and Kate smiled, giving her a soft kiss on the forehead.

"I promise I'll try my best not to." She told Alexis and the young girl nodded seriously, taking her promise to heart.

"Alright. I'll be back later." She hugged her one more time and jumped off the bed. "See you guys later." She waved at her father and Tyler while Martha gave Kate's hand a squeeze.

"Hang in there, kiddo." She said and Kate nodded.

"Thanks for stopping by." She smiled at them and had to fight to prevent a yawn from escaping after they left. Tyler looked equally sleepy after having breakfast and was already settling against her side again.

Sighing, she leaned against the pillow Rick had put behind her back and placed a kiss on her son's hair gently. They were all silent for a few minutes as Rick quietly sipped his coffee, apparently not wanting to disturb them. Before she knew it, she fell asleep.

Hours later, she woke up from her second nap, surprised to see it was already dark outside. Her father had stopped by earlier, giving Rick the opportunity to go home with Alexis for a while. Tyler had stuck around for a little while longer, until her dad finally convinced him to go home for a few hours. He agreed on the condition that he would be back to have dinner with his mom. After everyone left, Kate tried to watch some TV, but everything on was boring and the pain in her arm was really taking a toll on her. It was a relief when the doctor came in to check on her and ordered another round of pain meds. He said, however, that even though she was recovering well, he wanted to keep her in the hospital one more night, just to be sure.

She was completely frustrated about that, even more so when she found herself alone and unable to tend to her most basic needs like go to the bathroom by herself. When the nurse came in, she accepted her assistance, but couldn't help but feel embarrassed and helpless. Frustrated that she couldn't do anything – even read a damn magazine because it kept falling off her lap – she decided to give in to the pull of the pain medication and take a nap.

When she woke up, Rick was sitting on the small couch, typing away on his laptop. Apparently sensing that she was awake he looked up at her and smiled, saving whatever it was he was doing and putting the laptop on the couch, before making his way to her bedside and making himself comfortable on the chair.

"Hey." She whispered and he smiled at her, propping his elbow on the bed, his head on his hand.

"Hey yourself." He reached out and touched her thigh, gently caressing it through the thin sheet that covered her body. "How are you doing?"

"Tired. Sore." She sighed and he gave her thigh a comforting squeeze. "I'm glad you're here, though."

"I'm glad you're here too." He winked at her and she chuckled. "You really scared me this time, Kate." He confessed and she looked away for a moment.

"I'm sorry." She whispered, but he shook his head.

"No, don't be sorry. It wasn't your fault." He sighed heavily before continuing. "It just put things in perspective, you know? About how dangerous your job really is and that's what scares me the most. That someday – god forbid – you won't be so lucky like this time." She reached out and took his hand in hers, lacing her fingers through his.

"I can't promise it won't happen again, Rick. It comes with the territory." She lifted their joined hands to her lips and placed a soft kiss on the back of his.

"I don't want to lose you." He murmured, standing up to sit next to her on the bed. "I _can't _lose you." He touched her lips with his in a gentle kiss, sucking lightly on her bottom lip. Her hand touched his stubbly cheek to hold him there as she allowed him to deepen the kiss. She knew she wouldn't be able to do all the wicked things to him that were running through her mind for a while, so she would take what she could get for now.

"I'll do the impossible to always come home." She whispered against his lips and rested her forehead on his.

"Deal." He gave her a small smile and kissed her again, before settling on the bed next to her. Kate smiled at him gratefully and leaned against his side with a happy sigh. They were silent for a few minutes before she turned back to him, placing a light kiss on his neck.

"Can I ask you something?" She asked quietly and felt him turn to look at her.

"Anything."

"If…" she hesitated, not knowing how to say it, and looked down at their joined hands on her lap. With a heavy sigh she bit her lip before continuing. "If something ever happens to me… would you take care of Ty?" she finished, feeling completely insecure about the enormity of what she had just asked him.

"Hey, look at me." He let go of her hand and touched her chin, making her eyes meet his. "Kate, you don't even have to ask." He rested his forehead on hers and she closed her eyes. "Let's hope nothing ever happens to you, but in the off chance that it does, of course I'll take care of him."

"Thank you." She whispered and kissed his lips softly.

"You guys are stuck with me and Alexis and my mom, love. No turning back now." He grinned at her and she laughed quietly.

And that was all the reassurance she needed.

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><p><strong>AN: Thoughts?**


	24. Chapter 24

**A/N: First, I am so so incredibly sorry that I made you guys wait so long for an update on this. A lot has happened in my life in the past few months and I don't really remember what exactly happened that made me give up on this for a while, but I know that something did and then I had the most serious case of writer's block. Thank you so much for all your beautiful, encouraging messages that I still get til this day, even if I haven't updated this story in months. Tonight I didn't have anything to do and I started re-reading my old stories and I found myself missing this universe like crazy. I'm still not sure where it's going or how often I'm going to update, but it's here and I'm more than willing to work on it for real again.**

**Thank you so much for sticking with me and not giving up on this story. It means more to me than you guys will ever know.**

**Disclaimer: Castle is obviously not mine.**

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><p><strong>Someone Like You<strong>

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><p><strong>Chapter 24<strong>

The ride to the loft was quiet, only interrupted by Tyler's voice from time to time. Kate had been released from the hospital with the recommendation of wearing a cast for eight weeks and then another eight weeks of physical therapy, at the very least. It was a very dismal prospect for the near future if you asked her, but right now she was just grateful to be alive and somewhat well to go home to her family.

The pain in her arm was dulled by the really good pain medication the doctor had prescribed, but it made her head fuzzy and she felt like she was on the verge of falling asleep all the time. It didn't matter, though. She wasn't planning on staying on them for long. She would take the prescribed dose for a few days, but after that, she would just try to grit her teeth and push through the pain. She didn't want to spend the next eight weeks in a foggy haze in which she would most likely not remember anything.

The driver parked outside of Rick's building and he got out of the car and reached back to help her get on her feet on the sidewalk. When she finally stood outside of the car, her world spun violently and she had to hold onto Rick with her good arm in order not to fall on her face, especially in front of her kid.

"Okay there, mom?" Tyler asked, concerned hazel eyes looking up at her.

"Just got a little dizzy for a second, sweetie. I'm fine now." She reassured him, her head still spinning a little. "Why don't you get the door for me?" She suggested with a small smile, trying to get him to focus on something else. He looked at her, uncertainty shining in his eyes, but Rick nodded at him encouragingly.

"Alright." The boy nodded and took off to the building's entrance, opening the glass door with both arms before the doorman could get to it.

"You okay?" Rick asked softly and she turned to him, finding the same concerned gaze her son had been directing at her just a moment before.

"I think I just stood up too fast, that's all. And the pain meds." She mumbled, allowing herself to lean against him when he started walking towards his building.

"Easy, love." He murmured in her ear when she reached out to get the elevator door a couple of minutes later. "We got it."

"Sorry. Habit." She shook her head, biting her lip in frustration at the stupid fogginess that wouldn't leave her mind and made everything look like it was in slow motion.

"Your dad is making us lunch." Rick told her when they were riding to the sixth floor. "You hungry?"

"Not really." She answered, before her mind could censor the honest answer. "But I'll eat a little later."

She offered a small smile, trying to reassure him that she was fine. It was driving her crazy that he kept looking at her like she was about to disintegrate right before his eyes at any second. She understood, of course, but it still got on her nerves. And they had only left the hospital twenty minutes ago. How she was supposed to endure him hanging around her as if she was made of glass for the next two months was completely beyond her comprehension at that moment.

He guided her slowly to his door when they stepped out of the elevator as Tyler ran ahead excitedly, throwing the door open and rushing inside the loft like he owned the place. Kate smiled at his antics and let Rick help her to the couch. Her father called out to them, saying he would come say hello in a moment and that lunch was almost ready. Just the thought of food right now made her stomach roll unpleasantly. Closing her eyes, she leaned her head back against the couch and tried to focus on her breathing, willing her head to stop spinning and her stomach to stop wanting to return its contents.

"Hey, honey." She heard her dad's voice and opened her eyes to find him drying his hands on a dishcloth, before throwing it on his shoulder. "How are you feeling?" He asked quietly, leaning down to kiss her forehead, mindful of the bandage that still covered part of it.

"I'm fine, dad." She gave him a small smile. "Glad you're here." She squeezed his hand when he smiled.

"Hope you're hungry. I'm making your favorite." He winked at her and she finally let out a genuine laugh.

"Mom's special chicken casserole? Really?"

"Let's hope it's not a disaster." He laughed with her and started to make his way to the kitchen. "Welcome home, Katie." He called over his shoulder with a smile and Kate finally started to feel better.

Her head was a little clearer and her stomach had stopped rebelling against her. And the smell coming from the kitchen was heavenly, even if she wasn't really hungry. Tyler came back into the living room and sat next to her, snuggling into her good side. Turning on the TV, he reached up and pressed a kiss to her cheek, before settling back against her. She could hear Rick talking to her father in the kitchen and the sound of their familiar voices made her start to relax.

"Good to have you back home, mom." Tyler told her softly and she smiled, pressing a kiss to his hair.

"Thanks, baby. It's good to be home."

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><p>This not being able to do even the most basic of activities by herself and always depending on someone thing was slowly driving her crazy. It had been two weeks since she had left the hospital and there was some sort of unspoken agreement that she and Tyler would stay at the loft while she recovered. It wasn't like she would have been able to be by herself at her apartment with 90% of her left arm in a cast and still take care of herself and her son. Of course there was always the option of staying with her dad, but he was still working, so she would end up alone with Tyler either way.<p>

The loft was her best bet and Rick had been wonderful these past couple of weeks. A little annoying in not letting her do anything and treating her like she was breakable, but wonderful nonetheless. Alexis was finally out of school for the summer, so at least Tyler had someone to play with. Rick took them to the park regularly and Kate went along most of the time, still walking slowly.

It was amazing the toll that a gunshot wound took on your body. Even though she had been hit in the arm, her entire body was still recovering and she still felt weak and dizzy sometimes. Rick insisted that it was because she had lost a lot of blood, but she knew that the pain meds she was on shared a good part of the blame for her current state. So the night before, she decided to be rebellious and only take half her prescribed dose.

It worked in her favor for a while. She didn't feel as weak and her mind wasn't as fuzzy as it had been these past couple of weeks. That and the fact that she really didn't want to be anywhere near narcotics – given her family history of addiction – earned her decision some pretty nice brownie points in her book. Of course she had to deal with the pain as only half of the dose didn't dull it like the prescribed amount would, but she could take it. It was nothing she couldn't handle and she would have to start weaning off the meds sometime in the near future anyway. She had just decided to do it before the doctor told her to. No big deal.

Except that now, twenty-four hours after she decided to embark on this impromptu pain meds free crusade, her arm was throbbing painfully. But she refused to give in; she was just going to have to breathe through it and she was sure that it would fade with time. Or at least she hoped against hope it would.

"You okay?" Rick asked, entering his bedroom.

She was sitting on his bed, a book open on her lap. She hadn't gotten past page twenty in the past two hours, though; the pain prevented her from concentrating for more than a couple of minutes. He had taken the kids to the movies after she had insisted that he needed to get out of the loft for a little while and that she would be fine by herself for a few hours. So he had agreed and had just gotten back with Tyler and Alexis. She could hear the kids' excited voices coming from the living room as they discussed the movie and which game they were going to play on the Xbox next.

The pain in her arm had increased exponentially since they had left and now she was barely holding on without giving in to the blissful numbness that the medication could provide.

"I'm fine." She tried to tell him lightly, but it came out through her teeth as she gritted them in pain. "How was the movie?" She asked, after taking a deep breath, willing the pain to subside.

"Kate," he had stopped on his way to the bathroom and turned back around to walk to her side. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing. I told you, I'm fine." She looked away, but he took hold of her chin, making her look at him. She tried to move the book from her lap, but ended up moving her broken arm by accident. She couldn't help the gasp that escaped her lips as the pain doubled. "Goddamnit." She hissed through gritted teeth, closing her eyes against the pain.

"Kate, love," He sat down next to her and pushed her hair away from her face, where a few strands had escaped from the loose ponytail at the base of her neck. "Hey, what is it?"

"Nothing. My arm hurts, that's all." She told him, eyes still closed, refusing to look at him. "I'm fine." She insisted, trying to stay as still as she possibly could in order to not increase the pain she was already in.

"Did you take your meds?"

"Yes." She nearly growled at him. Couldn't he see that she was in pain and didn't want to talk or justify her actions right at that moment?

"Maybe it's time for another? When did you last take them?" He asked, his hand cradling her cheek. She involuntarily shifted towards his touch, the warmth from his skin soothing her a little.

"This morning. But I'm fine. I don't want to take them."

"Kate…" He started, but she shook her head stubbornly.

"No, Rick. I don't want to take them. I can handle the pain." She swallowed hard, her eyes filling with frustrated tears. "I don't want to be all doped up. I'm _fine_." She insisted, a tear escaping when he touched his lips to hers in a comforting kiss.

"You're obviously not, babe. Look at you. Let me get you the pills. You'll feel better." He framed her face with his hands and kissed her cheeks, her nose, her forehead until she opened her eyes and met his gaze. "Let me take care of you. I can't stand to see you in pain."

"_I don't want them_."

"Why not? You're in pain, Kate." He insisted, but she shook her head.

"I don't want to take narcotics any more than I have to. Not with the kind of history my family has. I'm fine. I can handle the pain." She explained breathlessly.

"You mean because of your dad?" He asked, surprised, and she nodded. "Kate… this is not the same thing at all. The doctor wouldn't prescribe a dose that could get you addicted. You know that."

"It's not just that. I don't want to be groggy all the time. I barely remember anything that happened since I've been here. I _hate_ this feeling." She leaned against him and sighed when he kissed her temple. "I just want this to be over." She choked out, lifting her good hand to quickly brush her tears away.

"Oh, honey, I know." He hugged her close, mindful of her casted arm, and whispered in her ear soothingly until she could feel herself drifting to sleep. "I'm going to leave the pills on the nightstand. It's up to you if you take them or not, alright?" He murmured and she nodded, sleepily, exhausted by the emotional rollercoaster she had just been through. "I love you, Kate. Get some sleep." He moved her gently until she was lying in bed and pulled the comforter to her chin.

"Love you too, Rick." She mumbled and drifted off to a restless sleep.

When she woke up about an hour later, the pills were on the nightstand next to a glass of water. Lifting herself painfully to a sitting position, she reached for them and popped them into her mouth, chasing them away with water.

She could be strong tomorrow.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Thoughts?**


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